September 6, 2007
'Very Remote' Chances of Deal
Between Benazir and Musharraf By Muhammad Najeeb
Islamabad
Negotiations between Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf and
former prime minister Benazir Bhutto to cut a power-sharing deal
have hit snags and now the chances of a deal are "very remote", says
a top government official.
"Benazir Bhutto is too demanding... In return for her support to
President Musharraf's re-election she is demanding assurances to
become the prime minister," said the official requesting anonymity.
The official said that though Musharraf's aides are still in contact
with Bhutto, there are "very remote" chances that the two would
reach a deal.
Talks held in London last week between aides to Bhutto and Musharraf
ended in deadlock, with the ex-premier saying that she would
announce on Sep 14 a date for her return from self-imposed exile due
to corruption charges.
The negotiations resumed in the Gulf emirate of Dubai this week, but
reportedly are now in the doldrums again.
Bhutto has admitted to talking with Musharraf on a power-sharing
formula under which Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would not
oppose his re-election as president.
In return, Bhutto is demanding scrapping of the constitutional
amendment under which a prime minister cannot be elected for a third
term. Bhutto has already served as prime minister twice - first in
1988 and again in 1994.
Bhutto, the life chairperson of PPP, is also demanding a "level
playing field" for her party in the coming elections by seeking
amnesty in about 13 cases pending against her in different courts.
There are arrest warrants out for her in two cases.
She is in exile since April 1998 when then prime minister and arch
rival Nawaz Sharif initiated corruption cases against her. Since
then, she has been living in Dubai and London with her ailing mother
and three children. Her spouse Asif Ali Zardari joined her last year
after he was released from jail where he was languishing since
November 1996 when Bhutto's government was sacked by her own
handpicked president Farooq Leghari, who is now Musharraf's ally.
According to the government official, Bhutto has also sought
assurances for her party's win in the coming elections.
On Wednesday, she said that she wanted to meet Musharraf
face-to-face after making progress in talks on a power-sharing deal
between them. Though not confirmed by either Bhutto or Musharraf,
there have been media reports that the two met for 90 minutes in
Dubai last month to initiate the dialogue for the power-sharing
formula.
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