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May 16, 2008
Now PPP and
PML-N Spat over Punjab Governor
By Muhammad Najeeb
Islamabad
The ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its ally Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N) are embroiled in a fresh row - this time over
journalist-businessman Salmaan Taseer who has been named the
governor of Punjab province.
The PML-N is furious that the PPP has appointed as governor someone
who is known to be close to President Pervez Musharraf. Former prime
minister Nawaz Sharif's aides are openly saying that Musharraf is to
blame for the growing rift between the PPP and their PML-N.
The PML-N has already quit the PPP government over the latter's
failure to restore the more than 60 judges sacked by Musharraf in
November. But the PML-N has said that it will continue to support
the government of PPP, which otherwise does not enjoy majority in
parliament.
"Taseer is a controversial person and close to Musharraf... We
cannot accept him as governor," PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan
told IANS. Khan termed the appointment "a joint move" by the
presidency and PPP against the PML-N government in Punjab.
The PPP leadership tried to downplay the significance of the
appointment. Its spokesman Farhatullah Babar gave the impression as
if the PML-N had been taken into confidence ahead of the
announcement. The PML-N has denied this.
"Taseer's appointment as governor is a prelude to a horse-trading
plan prepared in the presidency," said Khan, adding that the PML-N
had taken on "a dictator like Musharraf and can fight Salmaan (Taseer)
as well".
Political pundits are warning that the PPP and PML-N, after coming
together to form a coalition, appeared to be inching towards their
traditional rivalry.
"I thought that they will continue to support each other for at
least three months but they are falling apart in just 45 days,"
former minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told IANS.
Ahmed predicted that "very soon" both the parties would start
destabilizing each other's governments and perhaps even go to court
against one another.
Taseer is known as a chartered accountant and a PPP stalwart. A
media baron, he owns two newspapers -- Daily Times and Aajkal as
well as TV channel Business Plus.
Most significantly, he is known for his pro-Musharraf views.
According to media reports, he called on the president Thursday
before his appointment as governor.
"Taseer has been frequently heard on television taking Nawaz Sharif
to task. The newspapers under his command have been advocating a
'liberal' set up in the country, chiefly comprising Musharraf and
the PPP," Dawn's Lahore editor Ashar Rehman said Friday.
A report in The News said that PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari would
soon have his "sweet revenge" when he enters the Punjab Governor
House from where he was arrested in 1996 and was incarcerated for
years.
Zardari was taken into custody after then president Farooq Leghari
dismissed the government of Benazir Bhutto. It was then alleged that
Zardari was influencing MPs to change their loyalties.
May 16, 2008
IANS | Top
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