Denting the Q-League: PML-N ready to assimilate dissidents

Party ready to welcome all except for a few individuals who ‘caused serious damage to the PML-N’.

ISLAMABAD:

In what appears to be a step towards a new political alignment, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (likeminded) leaders have met the chief of the Nawaz faction Nawaz Sharif.

Once adamant but now flexible to assimilate those who had sided with General Pervez Musharraf in the past, the PML-N leadership has been giving green signals to all the ‘leaguers’ to join hands.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Sharif’s spokesperson, told The Express Tribune that his party was ready to welcome all those who wanted to join hands with it except for a few individuals which the party leadership feel have caused serious damage to the PML-N.

The PML-N’s list of ‘negative elements’ has now shrunk to PML-Q’s Chaudhry brothers, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and a few other individuals. Earlier, the PML-N had claimed that it will not accept any of the politicians who had sided with Musharraf after the 1999 military coup.

Most members of the PML-Q, a party created by Musharraf, were a part of Sharif’s PML-N before Musharraf came to power in bloodless coup.

Sources privy to the meeting between like-minded group’s Salim Saifullah and Nawaz Sharif said that they have agreed to form a committee to work on modalities for a proposed unification of different factions of Muslim Leagues. They also decided to work together in parliament and formulate a joint strategy on all national issues.

Another dissident group of parliamentarians which has parted ways with Chaudhry Shujaat quite recently is also in touch with the PML-N. These groups also supported Ishaq Dar’s candidacy for the slot of leader of the opposition in the Senate.

Meanwhile, talking to a delegation of former military officers led by Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari, the PML-N chief said that the concept of the national security must not be restricted to only military strength but other factors like socio-economic development of masses should also be included.

Apparently unmoved by a statement of top army commanders last week to seek an end to a ‘malicious campaign’ against them, Sharif said Pakistan’s destiny could only be changed when all institutions evolve a mechanism of self-accountability within themselves.

The perceived audience of Nawaz’s latest message seemed to be the incumbent military leadership that has been under severe criticism in the past for a series of intelligence bloopers.

Sharif said his party had respect for all state institutions but only if they confine themselves within the parameters laid down by the country’s constitution.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2011.