Will it be continuation of the PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) government as two leading allies – the PML-N and the PPP – will have another round of talks to share the power corridor in Islamabad.
A Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) delegation led by Shehbaz Sharif had a meeting with PPP’s Asif Zardari and Bilawal on Sunday in which discussions were held on the overall situation of the country and prospects of political cooperation in the future.
Consultations are also going on between the PML-N, the PML-Q and the MQM to form a coalition government. Moreover, the PPP Central Executive Committee will meet today (Monday) to take stock of the situation while PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif will meet PML-Q head Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in Islamabad, a meeting that was postponed earlier.
It may be recalled that yesterday (on Sunday), the PML-N leadership sought cooperation from the PPP to form the government in the Centre and agreed in “principle” to cooperate to bring political stability to the country.
The PML-N reportedly offered the offices of the president, National Assembly’s speaker and Senate chairmanship to the PPP. It also offered the PPP the chief ministership of Balochistan and some “important” ministries in the Centre and Punjab.
It may be interesting to note that the PPP, having 54 National Assembly seats, told the PML-N that “our position is strong. The decision of cooperation for the office of prime minister is very difficult. We are in a position that the slots of the president and the prime minister remain with the PPP. The PML-N should support us.”
The PPP leadership offered them that if the PML-N support it for the president and the prime minister, it can support the League for Senate chairmanship and National Assembly speakership.
Isn’t it an interesting proposition?
The PML-N, on the other hand, is continuing its struggle to get the power back. Jati Umra, the Sharifs’ residence in suburbs of Lahore, has become a hub of political wrangling. The party leadership hosted the Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) delegation on Sunday and agreed to work together.
Barring PDM president Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) who have been annihilated in the general elections 2024, the expected next set up in Islamabad seems to be the continuation of the 14-party alliance which ruled the country for 16 months and continued in the form of caretaker set-up.
It is also time for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to take a pragmatic decision if they want to jump into the race for the office of prime minister as the number of independent candidates it backed in the general elections is more than that of the PML-N and the PPP.
But the rein is in the hands of the powers that be.
