ISLAMABAD: Things have become much serious and complicated for Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari who prefers to dispense Pakistan’s domestic issues on a foreign soil.
This time he has summoned PPP’s Central Executive Committee’s selected members for a crucial meeting in the United Arab Emirates before he undertakes a visit to the United Kingdom to meet Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader Nawaz Sharif.
According to PPP sources, “there is a gulf between perceptions over the method of impeachment of President Musharraf, restoration of deposed judges, approach to dealing with tribal insurgency in Pakistan’s federally administered tribal areas and various other domestic issues.”
Renowned journalist Najam Sethi, in one of his editorial comments, has said “coalition partners will have to soften their positions, otherwise its endurance would be in jeopardy.”
About the fate of Musharraf, Sharif wants his immediate impeachment whereas Zardari is merely making requests to Musharraf who still enjoys complete support of the Pakistan Army, which matters in the country.
Similar differences exist over the restoration of judges and Pakistan’s role, as a key ally of the United States is under pressure to weed out militancy from its western borders. Sharif recently articulated his party’s policy when he met Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher saying, “it’s not our war.”
All these factors compounded by day-to-day governance of Pakistan have created cracks within the PPP-led ruling coalition. With the PML-N’s minister leaving federal Cabinet, another blow to the PPP-led ruling coalition came when one of the federal ministers from Awami National Party, Khawaja Khan Hoti, accused the PPP for appointing PPP men in his Ministry of Social Welfare.
He made a public statement that appointment of Zamurrad Khan as chairman of Baitul Maal was a violation of coalition’s rules and his party would not tolerate further interference in his ministry. As the inter-party micro-differences were on increase Pakistan was hit by suicide bombings in Islamabad and terrorist activities in Karachi.
Against this backdrop, Zardari summoned Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and his three close associates and federal ministers Sayed Khurshid Shah, Sherry Rehman and Qamaruz Zaman Kaira to Dubai on Tuesday for what is being termed within PPP circles “important consultations.”
