Islamabad, Oct 14: Former premier Benazir Bhutto's PPPP today held talks with leaders of other parties, including the hardline religious alliance, to explore the possibility of forming a coalition government to thwart the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q's) efforts to seize the initiative. PPPP leader Mukdhum Amin Fahim, whose party has emerged as the second largest party with 63 seats in the national assembly, today held a breakfast meeting with senior Muthahida Majlis-E-Amal leader and chief of Jamiati Islami Party, Qazi Hussain Ahmed to identify a common ground to form a coalition.

"We have understood each others position in a better way and agreed to keep on continuing the process of consultations," they told the media after the meeting. Asked about the outcome of talks, the two leaders described the talks as "very cordial". The two discussed matters relating to the formation of government in Centre and provinces.

"We can not make decisions on our own and will apprise the parties' central bodies of the outcome of today's talks," Ahmed said. Fahim, who returned from London a day earlier after holding consultations with Bhutto about government formation, said no decisions has been reached during his meeting with Ahmed.

Fahim later met Pakistan Muslim League (N) chairman Raja Zafarul Haq and discussed the chances of the anti-Musharaf parties forming the government. Bureau Report