Pakistan

Punjab politics: PPP, PML-Q to move try to dislodge PML-N after budget vote

President was reportedly hesitant to go along with Pervaiz Elahi’s plan.

Zia Khan June 13, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid (PML-Q) are expected to begin political manoeuvres to dislodge the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) as the ruling party in Punjab, according to sources privy to internal discussions within the parties.

Sources say that the moves against the PML-N government in Lahore are expected to take place soon after the provincial budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012 passes the Punjab Assembly.

Individuals privy to the plan told The Express Tribune on Sunday that PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had convinced President Asif Ali Zardari that he might be able to take control of the Punjab government. Elahi is reporterd to be spearheading the whole campaign.

Elahi, who served as Punjab chief minister between 2002 and 2007 under former president Pervez Musharraf, had told President Zardari that he wanted control of the Punjab government ahead of next general elections to make sure that district administrations and police officials could be used to the coalition’s advantage during the 2013 polls.

“We want this desperately… controlling the province ahead of polls is what can make all the difference in the world,” said one associate of Elahi, who claimed he would be part of the campaign when it is started next month.

Sources close to President Zardari said the president had initially disagreed with the idea out of fear that it might backfire, similar to what happened in the early months of 2009, when the PPP tried to dislodge the PML-N government by imposing “Governor’s rule” in Punjab.

While the president is constitutionally authorised to impose such rule, temporarily suspending the provincial assembly, the public backlash against the move was so strong that President Zardari was forced to take back this measure within a matter of days.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (4)

Billoo Bhaya | 13 years ago | Reply @buttjee339: He does not go into hiding. He goes to London for some ailment or the other. But this is good news. Shahbaz is too busy with WAGs and has done nothing for the people of Punjab. Things under his control have gone to pots. Can't get clean fresh milk, fresh produce, petrol, clean flour, good fresh meat. Streets are dirty, there are encroachments all over town especially the Park and Ride Plaza made at Liberty Market on an amenity plot, no law and order with robberies and rapes happening round the clock. Chaudry's are no better. They want Moonis Elahi released. By now the NAB Punjab should have had a judge pronounce judgment on Moonis Elahi, but Sharif is going to trade him for his benefit.I say get rid of all of them.

buttjee339 | 13 years ago | Reply Nawaz Sharif 's party, if not thrown out now, will in any case lose the next election. Due to his directionless politics his party has squandered the support and sympathy which it had enjoyed at the time of his return from exile. Even after the passage of over three years, the focus of his politics remains Musharraf. Instead of talking about enormous challenges which our country is facing today, each time when he gets a chance to address the people, he is seen crying over the way he was removed by Musharaf. People have now started realizing that the man has very limited vision that is why he cannot see beyond his nose. His hatred towards Army has been exploited by PPP very cleverly. Present Government has gone ahead with its corrupt practices totally unchecked. All the major organizations and institutions of the Federal Government are at the verge of bankruptcy. Inflation has rocketed sky high and poverty has found place in every nook and corner of our country. There is no electricity and no gas. Industries are forced to shut down and economy is lying on the death bed. On the other hand Nawaz Sharif issues one ultimatum after the other and gives dead lines for compliance but then goes into hiding without really doing anything. What can you expect from such leaders. We may say that present Government is responsible for this miserable state of our country but in my opinion PML(N) is equally responsible.

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RP | 13 years ago | Reply They failed to topple the Punjab govt, despite imposing governors rule, and having the venomous Salman Taseer in the governers chair. What has changed now?

syed Imran | 13 years ago | Reply The Myopic policies of Nawaz Sharif will now put an end to his party rule for ever as he has not delivered anything to the poor, but has only tried to save his govt in Punjab.

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