From King's party to king-makers.

Aalsi · August 28, 2008, 1:08pm

Interesting articles. Who would have thought that the PML Q would be the most sought after party in Pakistani politics today. Former President, Great Pervez Musharraf must be smiling away.

From King’s party to king-makers

ISLAMABAD - Owing to a major political twist in country’s political scenario, the embattled PML-Q has become the focal political entity, as both PPP and PML-N are luring it for strengthening their grip on the corridors of power.

The PPP’s Chief Whip in the National Assembly, Syed Khurshid Shah has been assigned to woo PML-Q lawmakers in the Lower House. “Syed Khurshid Shah contacted Q-League’s Chief Whip in the National Assembly, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada and asked for his party’s help in the presidential election. Responding to the request, Pirzada asked Shah to contact PML-Q’s central command and also warned him that Q-League was annoyed over the moves of PPP leadership for wooing its lawmakers while bypassing the Chaudhry brothers”, the well informed sources within PML-Q told The Nation.

The sources further said that on the request of Pirzada, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had a meeting with Syed Khurshid Shah during the NA session but with no commitment for supporting PPP’s presidential candidate or cooperating with PPP in the provincial assembly of the Punjab.

On the other hand, PML-N leadership has started luring PML-Q to avert any possible move by PPP to topple Punjab Government that is not practical without Q-League’s assistance. PML-N legislator, Tehmina Daultana and Sheikh Rohail Asghar were also seen negotiating with PML-Q lawmakers in the Parliament. Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, talking to this correspondent at the party’s joint parliamentary meeting at Shujaat’s residence, said that PML-N’s Zulfiqar Khosa and Ishaq Dar had contacted him for the cooperation.

Meanwhile, PML-Q President, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has also said that his party would resist any attempt to overthrow N-League’s government in Punjab. “The issuance of statement by Shujaat was very well calculated and meant to send a friendly signal toward PML-N”, said a PML-Q lawmaker who himself had advised him to do so. “ The dubious activities of Governor Punjab, Salman Taseer and Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo in Punjab are also pushing angry PML-N toward us thus paving the two parties’ imminent alliance”, he further said.

The sources in PML-Q told this scribe that the majority of party leaders were more inclined to form an alliance with PML-N at center as well as in Punjab than to going into a coalition with PPP. Some other Q-League parliamentarians still claim that their party would withdraw PML-Q’s presidential candidate in favour of PML-N’s in the coming days.

Nisar meets Mushahid

LAHORE-The PML (N) has opened up back-door channels with PML (Q) to explore the possibility of fielding a consensus candidate against PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari in the Presidential elections. Sources privy to the latest developments in the political arena, revealed that the PML leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan met PML (Q) Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Syed in Islamabad on Monday night to discuss the prospects of cooperation in the Presidential elections. The sources disclosed that cooperation on this count could lead to wider cooperation between the two parties and even alliance in days to come. The meeting took place hours after the PML (N) top leader announced his separation from the ruling alliance and decision to sit in the Opposition.

According to the insiders, a former adviser to ex-CM Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi from Lahore played an important role in melting the ice and arranged the meeting of Mushahid Hussain Syed and Chaudhry Nisar Ali at the Federal Lodges Islamabad. Both the leaders met after getting the nod from their top leadership Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain respectively.

‘There was one-point agenda of the meeting- to field a joint and non-controversial personality as the Presidential candidate’, sources said. Nisar tried to convince Mushahid to join hands with PML (N) in supporting its Presidential candidate, Justice (Reted) Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui. The sources disclosed that PML (Q) General Secretary asked PML (N) leader that cooperation between the two parties was possible if the latter was ready to accept Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as Opposition leader in the National Assembly. According to the PML (Q) sources, both parties would be required to take important decisions including the decision to cooperate in future with each other in the next 24 hours.

The sources said that the PML (Q) leader also told PML (N) leader that their side had announced the name of Justice (reted) Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui as PML (N) candidate for Presidential slot in hurry.

Spock · August 28, 2008, 1:11pm

Indeed, he will be smiling after having to resign his kursi (which he loved so much), and realizing he was back stabbed and betrayed by the snakes in the PML[Q] and the MQM whom he loved so much. Altaf bhai has been very quick to have replaced Musharraf's majisma with a Zardari one. Photo bhi nahee lagayi Musharraf ki, with the haar on it.

ehtasab · August 28, 2008, 4:00pm

Re: From King's party to king-makers.

Smiling at unprecedented demands of lota because of unprecedented economic growth? Indeed.

Aalsi · August 29, 2008, 11:04pm

Interesting to see the importance of PML (Q) recognized day-by-day.

PML-Q again takes centre stage

**PML-Q again takes centre stage

** Saturday, August 30, 2008
By Tariq Butt

ISLAMABAD: As lobbying for the presidential election intensifies, the former rulers and politically isolated PML-Q has again occupied the centre stage and is enjoying its new position.

“A party which had described us as the ‘Qatil League’ and vowed never to even think of cooperating with us is now begging for our support. And the other party that had sworn never to break bread with us is equally enthusiastic to secure our votes,” a prominent PML-Q leader told The News on Friday.

He said his party would not help the two main political parties vis-‡-vis the presidential elections as the PPP and the PML-N “just want to increase their weight and tally by bagging the maximum votes”.

A source said that the PML-N’s rejection of the PML-Q was basically confined to the Chaudhrys of Gujrat, especially Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, while its doors were open for the rest of the Q leaders. He said the PML-N was now between the devil and the deep blue sea as it had severed its ties with the PPP and was unlikely to support it and vice versa.

Not only the Chaudhrys but the PML-Q as a whole relishes the contacts of the two major parties. There has been no initiative from the PML-Q. Despite consistent public expression of their antipathy to joining hands with the PML-N, a predominant majority of the PML-Q leaders privately admit that their natural ally and destination is the PML-N.

“If we don’t unite now, we will become one in the near future. This will happen only when the Sharif brothers will dismount the horse,” one PML-Q leader said, adding, “They want to secure our support in the presidential election without conceding anything or ceasing the gunfire on the Chaudhrys.”

The PML-Q leader said regardless of the possibility of cooperation with or merger of his party in the PML-N, his party was unlikely to extend collaboration to the PPP because the chemistry and culture of the two was totally different.

Meanwhile, despite parting company, the PPP and the PML-N are observing restraint and have held back their angry emotions against each other. They have reserved their ammunition for some other time and have not reverted to their old politics of mudslinging unless any colossal provocation comes from any side. The two parties have checked their hawks so as not to spoil the relationship further. However, there are little or no signs of any significant improvement in their ties in the near future because of the old demands of Nawaz Sharif that he continues to air are unacceptable for Asif Zardari. The government is trying to solve the deposed judges’ issue in its own way that the PML-N has vehemently rejected.

daleel · August 29, 2008, 11:11pm

Re: From King’s party to king-makers.

If this continues they might even win the 158 seats predicted here and might even sweep south of Punjab as was predicted here.

Hazaron khawheshein aiseein kay hur khwahish pey dum niklay.