Political manoeuvring: Phone lines heat up as the intrigue builds

Altaf calls for forging unity for greater national cause; JUI-F decides to sit on opposition benches.

ISLAMABAD: As the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government desperately tries to seek out new allies to keep its rule intact, MQM chief Altaf Hussain urged other parties to “work together” for a greater national cause.

The MQM is also part of the fragile ruling alliance.

In an unusual move, Altaf Hussain is also reported to have contacted Chaudhry Shujaat, the head of the PML-Q and Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, a central leader of a breakaway faction of the former ruling party, and discussed with them the latest political situation prevailing in the country.

Separate but identical press statements were issued by MQM from its London secretariat, mainly focusing on forging unity among national political forces.

During his telephonic conversation with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Altaf Hussain is reported to have talked about PPP’s “inappropriate behaviour” with its coalition partners, the JUI-F and MQM, the statement said, adding that this kind of attitude was creating bitterness among component parties of the alliance.

The press statements said that the MQM chief and his counterparts from these parties had agreed to work together and continue contacts.

Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) is reported to have decided to sit on opposition benches, increasing pressure on the PPP-led ruling coalition. After failing to cajole the party led by Maulana Fazlur Reman, PPP’s high command has now activated its Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan chapters to persuade the JUI-F to review its decision.

Maulana Ghafoor Haidri, the JUI-F secretary general, was reported by the electronic media on Thursday as saying that his party will be sitting on the opposition benches from the next session of parliament.

The JUI-F, which has seven seats in the National Assembly and over a dozen in the Senate, will have some impact on the government’s stability, but it would not pose any immediate threat unless the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and other smaller groups also withdraw their support.

PPP insiders claim that Mualana Fazl’s party was demanding religious and Hajj ministry. They say they were also against any move to amend blasphemy laws.

According to these PPP leaders, it was highly unlikely that the Maulana will change his decision this time around. They say that issues like amending the blasphemy laws were affecting their constituents, mostly the right-wing votes.

Like the PPP, the Jamaat-e-Islami, a former JUI-F ally, is also awaiting further action by Maulana Fazl. Mualana Fazlur Rehman has already held a meeting with Qazi Hussain Ahmed, a former JI Ameer. Both leaders of religious parties are reported to have discussed the prospects of reviving the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal an alliance, which broke up in 2007.

Talking to The Express Tribune, JI’s Liaqat Baloch said that it would be premature to talk about MMA’s revival, adding that he was not sure if the JUI-F has finally decided to sit on opposition benches.

The JI is still not sure if the JUI-F will stick to its decision.

Over the past few months the component parties of former MMA have held a few meetings, but they failed to make any headway.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2010.