ISLAMABAD, 3 November — President Pervez Musharraf yesterday summoned a newly-elected National Assembly to meet next week, even though rival parties still appear unable to finalize a coalition government.
“The president has summoned the newly-elected National Assembly to meet on Friday, Nov. 8,” government spokesman Akram Shaheedi told AFP.
A presidential order said MPs elected on Oct. 10 would take oath on Friday, after which the process to elect a prime minister and parliamentary speaker “will be set in motion.” A prime minister is to be elected by the deputies through a show of hands within a few days of the assembly’s swearing-in.
Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider told reporters he was hopeful power would be transferred to an elected prime minister by Nov. 14.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) looks certain to sit in government, but its efforts to forge a coalition with the religious party alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) have yet to succeed.
Both the PML-Q and its main rival, the Pakistan People’s Party have been trying to woo the MMA, an alliance of right-wing religious groups.
However, the MMA, which rode a wave of anti-Western feeling over the US-led war on terror in Afghanistan and won an unprecedented 45 seats against just two in the previous poll in 1997, insists it should lead any future government.
The MMA was also allocated 12 seats reserved for women and two for minorities, giving it a total of 59 seats against 103 for the PML-Q and 79 for the PPP.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the MMA’s prime ministerial candidate, told Reuters it would be in a position to form a coalition with a simple majority in the 342-seat house together with the PPP and a breakaway faction of the Pakistan Muslim League loyal to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif -- the fourth largest party in the assembly -- and some independents.
“We are very positive," he said. "According to our latest count, we already have 174 seats. Some other people have also pledged their votes to us, but we would like to wait until Parliament is convened before disclosing who they are."
However, another senior MMA official Qazi Hussain Ahmed sowed confusion by holding talks with the PML-Q yesterday, and saying afterward the two parties were seeking "middle ground".
PML-Q power broker Chaudry Shujaat Hussain appeared in a sombre mood after the meeting, but said: "We shall be able to come to a consensus soon." Ahmed said Parliament should be left to decide who should take the premiership.
