Zardari, Nawaz to meet soon

ISLAMABAD - The saner elements in both Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) have stepped up efforts to resolve differences between the two key coalition partners. As a result of these efforts, a meeting between PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML(N) Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif has been arranged and both these leaders are expected to meet in a next few days.


The differences started cropping up between the two sides soon after the dissociation of PML(N) ministers from the Federal Cabinet and at that moment the coalition break-up seemed imminent, but sense prevailed and the top leadership from both sides showed maturity by committing themselves to keep the coalition intact, both at Centre and Punjab level.


The PPP leadership showed much wisdom by toning down the resignations by the PML(N) federal ministers and even went to the extend that PPP would remain part of the Punjab Government and would frustrate all attempts to dislodge PML(N) government in the province.


PML(N) leadership also reciprocated the gesture by the PPP and Mian Nawaz Sharif said that they would continue unconditional support to PPP in the Centre and wait to see the PPP settle the judges's restoration issue their own way.


He further made it clear that he considered withdrawing support to PPP government in centre as extending support to the dictatorial forces and that he would be the last man to do so.


In the meantime the replacement of Governor Punjab Lt. Gen(Retd) Khalid Maqbool with Salman Taseer, and his hostile speech after taking oath was no less than a big blow to the PPP-PML(N) coalition and the political spin in the aftermath of the development had caused visible cracks in the alliance of the two, who otherwise were conventional political rivals.


Salman Taseer, who is more close to Presidency than Pakistan Peoples Party, had meaningfully given the impression of a diehard PPP activist by saying that he would convert Punjab into Larkana.


PML(N) leadership, who had boycotted the oath-taking ceremony at Governor's House, sharply reacted to it and from top to bottom the party leadership cried foul and termed the induction of Salman Taseer as conspiracy against the coalition.


Even PML(N) Quaid expressed his displeasure over the appointment of Salman Taseer as Governor Punjab and said that they were not consulted about this appointment.


In the meantime, the differences over the judges issue were also widening as PML(N) leadership had come out of the dust of confusion on the issue by quitting the Federal Cabinet and now their leadership was saying that they would stand by the lawyers community in their struggle for the restoration of deposed judges to pre-November 3 position.


This stance of PML(N) would also push them away from their coalition partners who in a way wanted some more time to settle the issue while remaining within the ambit of Constitution and law.


In the backdrop of the growing differences and mistrust between the two sides the saner elements in both the parties have launched a drive to remove the misunderstanding between the two sides and with their efforts and persuasion, Mian Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari would likely have a meeting in a next few days and most likely it would be in Lahore where newly appointed Governor Salman Taseer would arrange a reception in honour of both these leaders.


The party sources were of the view that the meeting between the two would help neutralize the apparent tension between the two sides and would also help evolve the joint strategy on the judges' restoration issue which could be translated into reality before the upcoming budget session, as hinted by some senior party leaders in the ruling coalition.