News
Friday, May 02, 2008
Efforts on to bridge divide between PPP and PML-Q
By Azaz Syed
ISLAMABAD: Mediators are actively working to resolve differences between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) for co-operation in the Centre and provinces - especially the Punjab - in view of the continuing deadlock between the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over the sacked judges’ restoration. Sources told Daily Times that mediators have already taken Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain into confidence over negotiations. They said that Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s close aides – federal ministers Khursheed Shah, Naveed Qamar and Ahmed Mukhtar – were in contact with Faisal Saleh Hayat, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly. Sources said the former ruling party, which had earlier declined to join hands with the PPP, had assured the intermediaries that it could consider co-operating with the Pakistan People’s Party if the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz withdrew from the ruling coalition. They said that in the case of a power-sharing deal, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid would first announce support for the Pakistan People’s Party’s decision on the issue of judges’ restoration, and would later co-operate in the Centre and provinces, especially the Punjab. Sources added that President Pervez Musharraf had asked Chaudhry Shujaat not to think ‘negative’ about Zardari, as the ruling party’s de facto chief had so far kept his ‘promise of co-operation’ with him.
Courtesy Daily Times