Efforts afoot to reunite PML factions

ISLAMABAD - The staunchest pro-Muslim League circles have accelerated their efforts to reunite various factions of Pakistan Muslim League (PML) and are involved in filling the vacuum of mistrust among central leaders of different sections of the disintegrated party.

Background discussions with the parliamentarians and leaders of different groups of PML disclosed that apart from central command of the parties, majority of them was supporting the reunion of PML.

"PML has been the prime victim of establishment and the latter always used it for its vested interests," said a PML-Q lawmaker requesting not to be named. He said the tactic of 'divide and rule' was still continued and disallowing the different segments of the same party to unite. "The future belongs to PML only if it is united," he claimed. "The appearance of fissures between PPP and PML-N within a few weeks of coalition formation reveals the fact that PPP's mould is not fit for any Muslim League either it is 'Q' or 'N' or 'F'," he argued. He claimed if the PML were united in elections 2008, it would have succeeded in securing two-thirds majority.

Another PML-Q leader seeking not to be named said the reunion between PML-N and PML-Q, two major factions of PML, would not happen till President Pervez Musharraf was sitting in the office. "PML-Q has elected the President for the next five years and PML-N demands his impeachment," he said, adding that the expectation of imminent reunion of N-League and Q-League was just like a fool's dream.

A PML-N lawmaker told that the ice had started thawing at the bottom. "When the PML-N and PML-Q parliamentarians, both at provincial and national levels, come across with one another in private meetings they share the same views with an eagerness to implement," he noted. He stated the deep-seated mistrust between central commanders would take time to be uprooted.

Chairman PML-N Raja Zafarul Haq said, "No doubt there is a desire in the hearts of old comrades of Muslim League for the reunion of different factions of PML but till today no practical step has been taken". He told that PML-N leaders and workers from Balochistan were exhibiting concerns over the possible meeting between Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mir Zafarullah Jamali and asking the party's central leadership to not enter into any dialogue with Jamali. Zafar Ali Shah, Vice President PML-N, said there were no practical attempts underway to unite different groups of PML yet. "If anyone has the right to take the initiative he is PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif and the rest of party leaders will follow his suit," he added.

Although Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo looks more interested in striking a deal with PPP and has met Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani twice in a week, yet when contacted said he would look into the matter after Nawaz's meeting with Jamali. On the other hand, sources told that former premier Jamali had geared up his lobbying for the reunion of different factions of PML. "In a week he will call on the heads of PML-Q, PML-F and PML-N to find a way out," the sources further told.