ISLAMABAD: A new political alliance seems imminent in Pakistan as the two major partners of the ruling coalition looked set on a collision course.
Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s formal request to Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Nawaz Sharif for support to his candidature for presidentship has been flatly turned down. The PPP is now turning toward Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid).
The rapidly changing scenario had been foreseen way back in April when Yousaf Raza Gilani took over as prime minister with the help of PML(N) but differences between the PPP and Sharif’s party have widened to an extent where rapprochement appears difficult.
A five-member team of senior PPP leaders met Sharif and his aides to request for support to Zardari in the presidential poll, set for Sept. 6.
The meeting attended by ministers Khurshid Shah, Sherry Rehman, Sen. Raza Rabbani, representing PPP, and Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, and Ahsan Iqbal ended not only without result but drew flak from Sharif at a press conference later.
He made it clear that PPP which he publicly snubbed for the first time, should decide about the fate of deposed judges by late tonight, and restore them by tomorrow positively, only then can the candidacy of Zardari be considered.
This was a clear rebuff. The two parties, winning majority seats in the national and provincial assemblies in Feb. 18 elections this year, did develop policy differences but avoided washing their dirty linen in the public. The situation has now drastically changed. Sharif took a hard line yesterday, and remarked that although the office of the president belonged to PML-N on merit, he was least bothered about power structure, but his promise to restore the deposed judges must be honored and without delay. Sharif had earlier given Aug. 27 as the deadline, barely a day earlier for his demand to be met, following submission of a compromise formula on the subject formulated by two of the minority coalition partners Maulana Fazlur Rehman of JUI, and Isfandyar Wali of ANP. But he took a complete U-turn yesterday and advanced the deadline for the settlement of his demand by tomorrow.
Zardari, realizing the gravity of the situation, sent messages to MQM, and Punjab Gov. Salman Taaseer and met Chaudhri Shujaat and Chaudhri Pervez Elahi of PML(Q) in Islamabad yesterday. Zardari flew to Benazir Bhutto’s native town of Larkana, and was due in Karachi later where he will negotiate with Altaf Husain’s MQM party.
The MQM, in the meantime, has summoned an extraordinary meeting in Dubai today for which leaders have flown from Karachi and London. MQM has declared its support to Zardari for the coveted office, and the PML(Q) may do likewise.
Sharif has declared in unambiguous terms that he cannot tolerate anymore dilly-dallying on the judges issue and would break away from the coalition to sit on the opposition benches.
The PPP, PML(Q) and MQM together can easily muster the required number to elect Zardari for presidentship because of their strength in the four provincial assemblies and the two houses of the Parliament.
Punjab may oppose him but the number game would be easily won when overall electoral college is counted.
