KARACHI - Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid General Secretary Senator Mushahid Hussain said on Sunday that construction of Kalabagh Dam was impossible as three federating units were against it, so his party too could not support it at the cost of the sovereignty of Pakistan. Addressing a press conference at the Press Club, the PML-Q leader said that as there was no consensus on the project of Kalabagh Dam, the government should explore other alternatives, such as Thar coal deposits, wind and solar energy, to offset the ongoing energy shortfall. When asked about his party’s opinion, Mushahid Hussain said that Pakistan’s interests were dearer to them than any project that might weaken the federation. Flanked by PML-Q’s provincial general secretary Haleem Adil Shaikh and other party leaders, Mushahid underlined the importance of fair, free and transparent elections for betterment of the country and continuity of the democratic process. “Pakistan’s next elections could be predicted, as people want resolution of their problems,” he said, and added that results of the next elections could be surprising. The PPP government, the PML-Q leader said, had not yet started consultations with his party to name a caretaker prime minister. “Pakistani political parties have become mature because they have started honouring each others’ opinion that could be gauged from their consensus over the name of chief election commissioner,” Mushahid observed, and hoped that caretaker premier would come with consensus of all parties.Regarding the timeframe of next elections, Mushahid said that term of the assemblies would complete on March 18, 2013, so the general elections might fall in the first week of May next year. He, however, predicted that the elections would be held before the month of May.The PML-Q leader was of the view that no single party would be able to win majority in the next elections and would depend on each other for forming a government. He, however, observed that for the first time in the history of the country, a troika of Parliament, the Supreme Court and Election Commission of Pakistan was emerging for democracy. When asked about any hindrance in the elections, Mushahid opined that the brewing security situation in Karachi might create hindrances in the polls. He also said that Karachi’s law and order problem was a political issue and required political parties’ consensus for its resolution. “Pakistan’s problems are such that they cannot be solved by a single person, a party or an institution. Unlike the past, all institutions, including the media and judiciary, were now free in Pakistan, he observed. He also argued that the US had learnt lessons from its past polices as it was not bypassing or pressing the Pakistan government for ‘do more’ in the war on terror. The PML-Q leader also said that Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was a powerful person in the country as he had brought equality in the law for all: the rich and the and poor. To a question about Supreme Court’s order for the delimitation of electoral constituencies in Karachi, the PML-Q leader asserted that all the decisions of the judiciary must be implemented. He said his party was not in support of the delimitation of electoral constituencies in Karachi alone, and opined that such an exercise should be carried out throughout the country.Regarding the switching of loyalties of PML-Q leaders to the PPP, Mushahid Hussain said his party had stressed upon the ruling PPP to honour the mandate of the PML-Q. He however warned the PPP that it could face similar consequences, if it did not stop pursuing such a tactic. He said that Ghaus Bux Mahar of the PML-Q had resigned as the party’s provincial president, but Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had not yet accepted his resignation.Earlier, Mushahid visited the office of Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) at the Press Club.President KUJ GM Jamali briefed the PML-Q leader about the condition of journalists and initiatives being taken by the body for them. Jamali demanded the government to announce compensations for those journalists who sacrifice their lives in the line of duty in line with its policy of granting financial assistance to personnel of the army, police and other government officers. The PML-Q leader assured the media persons that he would take up the issue with the president and prime minister.