Musharraf isolates PML-N

ISLAMABAD " Efforts seeking an early rapprochement between President Pervez Musharraf and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) are far away from fruition, as both the sides seem reluctant to budge from their stated positions.

Well placed sources told TheNation that Presidency that had launched efforts to bring all the major political players including the PML-N on board are not making headway largely because of the adamant N-League to go soft on President Musharraf.

These indirect talks with the PML-N leadership- through intermediaries- have already stalled, and consequently the Presidency has evolved new strategy of carrot and stick to pressurise the PML-N to give up its rigid position.

Sources privy to these developments said both sides are reluctant to mend their fences and the Presidency has asked the PML-Q and MQM to help facilitate PPP efforts seeking to ensure conducive environment for the President to address the joint session of Parliament as early as possible.

Interestingly, leadership of the PPP, the leading partner in the coalition government, has expressed willingness to request President Musharraf to address the joint Parliament session that is mandatory under the Constitution.

While other parliamentary parties, including the ANP, JUI-F and PML-F are supporting the move that would indeed leave PML-N in precarious situation.

However, credible political sources maintained that the PML-N leadership may agree to change its stand towards the President should the PPP accepts its demand of reinstating the deposed judges in line with Murree Accord.

President Musharraf has recently agreed to address the joint Parliament sitting at the earliest, a constitutional obligation that political pundits believed would eventually give him legitimacy as head of the state for second five year term.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani is likely to send a formal request to the President in the event of PML-N's response to the PPP request to rejoin the federal cabinet and take the chairs of various parliamentary committees of the National Assembly.

"All depends on how the PML-N will respond to the PPP and Prime Minister's request about cabinet expansion and issues relating to the chairmanship of more than a dozen parliamentary committees of the National Assembly," a source speaking on condition of anonymity said.

However, PML-N leaders still seem optimistic and pinning high hopes that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari would accept its cherished demand of reinstatement of the deposed judges in accordance with the Murree Declaration.