The sources also said Ahmad had requested the Sharif brothers to “soften the language” against Musharraf at their public meetings.

Ahmad, a former instructor to Musharraf, has been negotiating with PML(N) and PPP leaders for the past few yearsand had held several meeting with the Sharif brothers while they were in exile in London and Saudi Arabia.

A group of reporters caught Shahbaz on Saturday outside the residence of the retired brigadier when he was leaving after their meeting.

Shahbaz said free and fair elections were unlikely as the Government was making “every effort” to rig them by carrying out “massive transfers” of Government officials after the announcement of the election schedule. He called for the reconstitution of the Election Commission.