PML-Q, PML-N break ice at long last

Leaders of the two largest opposition parties, N and Q factions of the Pakistan Muslim League meet in Lahore.

ISLAMABAD: Both friends and foes of the governing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Sunday appeared to be seeking new alignments to re-adjust their positions according to rapidly emerging changes on the country’s political horizon, aggravating troubles for a fragile administration already facing lethal legal challenges.

The most significant among such development was an ‘ice-breaking’ meeting of the leaders of two largest opposition parties — N and Q factions of the Pakistan Muslim League — in Lahore on Sunday.

Equally threatening was a move by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to consider pulling out of the ruling coalition both at the centre and in Sindh province, a scenario that could deprive the PPP of a simple majority in the National Assembly required to keep the government intact. A group of parliamentarians from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), another key ally of the PPP, is also meeting in Islamabad in a couple of days to brainstorm how to react to speculations of a regime change.

Tribesmen in the parliament are known for their movement in the direction the wind blows.

While refraining to call it a ‘breakthrough’, leaders of PML-N and PML-Q emerged from the Sunday meeting with what they described as a satisfaction that this initial formal contact was enough to set things rolling ahead.

The meeting between the PML-Q leaders Tariq Azim and SM Zafar with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other key Nawaz League leaders in Lahore is considered a significant move towards a possible grand alliance of right-wing parties of the country.

As efforts are already being made for the unification of all factions of the Muslim Leagues, the Sunday’s meeting between the two biggest factions can have a far-reaching impact on the future political landscape.

PML-N too this time, took it seriously as Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif called Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly, Ishaq Dar the parliamentary leader of PML-N in the Senate and other senior leaders from his side for this interaction, showing that both sides were now in a serious mood to work together.

Commenting on the meeting, a senior Muslim Leaguer said this was a message to both; the government and powerful military establishment. For the government it was a message to mend its ways otherwise an in-house change is very much imminent, and for the power brokers that an alternative was available for the change of regime.

Different factions of Muslim Leagues are already in talks about a unification. All the factions of Muslim League realise that unification without the PML-N cannot make any impact.

Inside the PML-Q there are many people who not only feel affinity towards PML-N but many are in touch with Nawaz league tacitly and are candidates of its ticket for the next polls.

The Chaudhrys of Gujrat have already parted ways with the PML-Q mentor General Pervez Musharraf against whom PML-N has strong animosity.

Much enthusiastic Tariq Azeem on the outcome of meeting remarked “our side was warmly welcomed by the Nawaz-league leaders and both sides decided to continue talks without any pre-conditions”. When asked if the two can unify he said: “In principle there was an agreement that a unification was in the interest of all”.

The other side (PML-N) was not that overwhelmed on the outcome of their meeting and cautioned against jumping to conclusions but said that it was certainly a good beginning for both sides.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2010.