Crisis catapults Nawaz to negotiation hot seat

PML-N chief to discuss transition with opposition and coalition parties’ leaders.


Abdul Manan January 12, 2012

LAHORE:


Nawaz Sharif has taken the opportunity to place himself firmly in the hot seat.


The opposition chief has decided to lead the negotiations amongst political parties, including those allied with the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), to chart out an amenable course to his long-standing demand of early general elections.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s eponymous president on Wednesday also warned the government against any ‘adventurism’ in the National Assembly’s session on Thursday (today). Sources say the PPP might seek a vote of confidence for the president and prime minister in the session.

Hitting out

The incumbent government has put the democratic setup at stake through its tactics, Nawaz said, adding that the government appears to have made contempt of court a matter of habit.

“Members of the government are constantly flouting [Supreme] court orders. The NRO has not been accepted by parliament but the government is still adamant on ignoring the court’s verdict,” Nawaz said while addressing the media after a party meeting at Raiwind. The meeting had been convened to discuss the crisis created by the Supreme Court’s recent order on the implementation of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) verdict.

The PML-N has decided that if President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani try to play a new “game” in the National Assembly tomorrow, the party will vehemently oppose it, Nawaz said.

“We will contact opposition parties as well as coalition partners and ask them to be mindful of putting their faith in the government under the current circumstances,” he added.

Expressing confidence in the government at this point will be tantamount to not putting confidence in the rule of law, judiciary, democracy and the 18 million people of Pakistan, Nawaz said.

The government’s actions have thrown the country into another crisis, he said, adding that clash amongst institutions is at its peak.

To the military, Nawaz suggested ‘patience’ and said that all institutions should remain within their constitutional limits.

Leading negotiations

Nawaz announced that his party has decided to coalesce with other opposition parties and coalition partners.

Besides presiding over the party’s central working and parliamentary committees in Islamabad on Thursday, Nawaz is also expected to meet other political leaders, including chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chairman PPP-Sherpao Aftab Khan Sherpao, Senator Hasil Bizenjo of the National Party, Mehmood Khan Achakzai of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and Jamaat-e-Islami’s general secretary Liaquat Baloch.

Nawaz, who spoke to all of them on phone on Wednesday, is expected to devise a unanimous strategy for the upcoming general election and the interim setup, which is acceptable for the PPP, during these parleys.

Sources say that Nawaz has talked to PPP leaders about his plan. They further add that Fazl also informed Nawaz that the PPP has expressed its willingness to accept the opposition’s plan regarding early elections.

Nawaz is also expected to meet the leadership of government’s coalition partners, including Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, Awami National Party’s leader Asfandyar Wali Khan and the MQM leadership.

Once Nawaz has convinced the coalition partners about the opposition’s plan, sources say they would all meet the government which, after going through it, might announce the date for the next general elections.

PML-N’s information secretary Mushahidullah Khan confirmed that on Thursday, Nawaz, after presiding over party’s internal meetings, would meet with other leaders whom he called on Wednesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2012.

COMMENTS (1)

Nadir | 12 years ago | Reply

I trust NS.

Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ