PPP-'Q' power sharing talks in decisive phas

ISLAMABAD - The power sharing talks between PPP and PML-Q have entered into a decisive phase as PPP's Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has fielded his close confidant Rehman Malik to finalize the modalities of the deal with Q-League's central command.

Well-placed sources with PML-Q told The Nation that Rehman Malik had been assigned by PPP side to finalize the modalities of power sharing deal with Q-League. "Advisor to PM on Interior, Rehman Malik had a detailed meeting with Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Faisal Saleh Hayat at Ch Shujaat's residence in Islamabad before Eid and asked the latter to join Federal Cabinet as well as be ready to form an alliance in Punjab", said sources.    

According to sources PML-Q leadership asked Rehman Malik to first declare clear-cut political strategy of the party as per Q-leaders PPP was still running with the hare and hunting with the hound. "In the meeting between Malik and Q-League's central command, PML-Q asked PPP mediator to first define party's future political course in clear terms and categorically separate its ways with PML-N", sources said.

The sources revealed to this scribe that in response Rehman Malik assured Q-Leaders that PPP had decided in principle to forge an alliance with PML-Q in Punjab as well as in the Centre. "It was after Malik's intervention in the power sharing talks between the two parties that President Asif Ali Zardari had a telephonic conversation with Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and endorsed the commitments of Rehman Malik", the sources said.   

The sources said that Rehman Malik  earlier had a meeting with Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain in Lahore to finalize the modalities of power sharing agreement between PPP and PML-Q. "Another crucial meeting between Malik and Chaudhrys is going to be held soon to clinch a deal between the two parties", sources claimed.

"In the meeting between Malik and PML-Q's central command at Ch Shujaat's residence in Islamabad, the latter asked PPP mediator to convince his party to leave the CM slot of Punjab for PML-Q as PPP had no leader of such stature that could hold the office or face Sharifs in their stronghold", said the sources, adding that on the other hand Malik was insisting that PML-Q should join the Federal Cabinet at the earliest.     

A PML-Q leader talking to The Nation on condition of anonymity said that the main obstacle in the way of power sharing agreement between PPP and PML-Q was Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain's aversion towards forming an alliance with PPP but afterwards on the whim of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and some other party leaders he changed his mind and said 'yes'. "Some other leaders as Farooq Leghari were also opposing the idea of striking power sharing agreement with PPP but after hectic parleys within the Party, PML-Q's central command succeeded in taking all parliamentarians and party leaders on board", he added.    

He said that PML-Q forward blocs in Punjab as well as National Assembly had lost their worth after PPP's direct parleys with Q-League's central command and were returning to Party's mainstream. "Another factor that is playing pivotal role in bridging gulf between PPP and PML-Q is the intervention of America which wants both Parties to forge an alliance", he claimed.

When asked, PML-Q parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat said that his Party was in contact with all the political parties but the final decision of entering into coalition with either PPP or PML-N would be taken by keeping greater national interest on priority. He said that the country was passing through the most difficult time and there was a dire need of political reconciliation and not that of confrontation and conflict.