Islamabad
The prospect of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto returning to
share power with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has unnerved
some ministers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Qaid (PML-Q),
who say they might not contest the upcoming general elections if the
deal comes through.
"Leaders of the ruling coalition on Wednesday expressed reservations
over the government-PPP (Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party) talks but
decided to support the proposal to hold presidential polls ahead of
parliamentary elections," Dawn reported Thursday.
It quoted sources to say that in a meeting held at the Prime
Minister's House, some ministers were sceptical of an accord with
the PPP, citing deep political differences.
According to the sources, some ministers said they might not apply
for the PML-Q ticket if a deal was struck with Bhutto.
However, Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani contended that
differences of opinion were a sign of openness in the coalition and
said all ministers had the right to express their opinion.
He claimed that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and PML-Q president
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had been able to calm the ministers after
they had explained the political compulsions due to which talks were
being held with Bhutto.
Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was reported to have been
upset by the possibility of another former prime minister, Nawaz
Sharif, returning home, saying: "Listen fellows, if Nawaz returns,
all of us will have to go."
Defending his criticism of the talks with Bhutto, he is reported to
have said: "My statements about the talks in fact go against the
interests of the PPP and not of the PML."
The Muttahidi Quami Movement (MQM) was unhappy too. Its leaders are
reported to have said that the party was seriously concerned about
"compromises being made on serious constitutional matters".
Federal ministers Ghaus Bakhsh Maher, Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind, Wasi
Zafar, Ejazul Haq, Liaquat Jatoi, Faisal Saleh Hayat and minister of
state Raza Hayat Hirraj also opposed the government-Bhutto talks.
Hayat, the interior minister, broke ranks with the PPP after the
2002 general elections to form the Pakistan People's Party-Patriots
that joined the ruling coalition.
According to him, the talks with Bhutto were aimed at strengthening
the PPP and weakening the PML-Q.
Jatoi, the water and power minister, spoke about his family's
formidable political strength in Sindh and said it would be a
disaster if "we are forced to make compromises with our old
political rivals".
A former chief minister of Sindh, Jatoi had deserted the PPP for its
breakaway faction after the 2002 polls.
He said so far he had not applied for the PML-Q ticket and would not
do so "if the stage is prepared for the return of the PPP in Sindh".
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