Coalition summit meeting today

In the previous meeting of ANP and JUI-F heads with Premier Gilani both the leaders had expressed their annoyance over the unilateral decision of PPP-led coalition government to restart the military operation by packing up the dialogue process.
ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan was of the view that before making such a policy shift ANP government in NWFP should have been taken on board.
He also raised the concern of his party regarding the interference of PPP government in the federal ministries allocated to them in the Centre. He also insisted that the meeting of the coalition partners was scheduled in Federal Capital as the PPP leadership wanted to hold this meeting in London to facilitate Mian Nawaz Sharif’s participation.
In the past couple of weeks ANP and JUI-F leadership came out criticizing the federal government for not taking them on board while taking crucial decisions, be it the re-launching of the military operation in tribal areas or the increase in the prices of Sui gas and other utility services.
The sources privy to the developments taking place on various fronts informed that Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani gave a detailed briefing to Premier on ongoing military operation in some parts of FATA and the future plan of Armed Forces to bring peace to these restive areas.
Premier Gilani had also held a detailed meeting with US Ambassador to Pakistan soon after attending this meeting here, he would be proceeding to the US for a weeklong visit to discuss and review the cooperation between the two states in various fields, including the ongoing international war on terror.
The federal cabinet expansion would also figure in the meeting and as PML-N leadership had made it clear to the PPP that they would not resume charge of their slots in Federal Cabinet till the restoration of the judges, the ministerial slots vacated by the PML-N would be filled with temporary appointments of the state ministers so that the working in these ministries would not disturbed.
PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari would also discuss the issue of constitutional package with the coalition partners and would definitely persuade them to file their objections and suggestions on the document so that the same could be revised and presented before the Parliament for passage.
The allocation of ministerial quota to the coalition partners in the second phase would also figure in the meeting and according to insiders JUI-F would get another berth in the Federal Cabinet while ANP would get two.
PPP would likely complete its quota of ministers in Federal Cabinet in this phase and another half a dozen PPP men would be induced in the cabinet.
The sources further said that PML-N President Mian Shahbaz Sharif would once again raise the issue of judges’ reinstatement and inform the coalition partners to come up with some concrete steps in this connection.
The PML-N sources disclosed that their leadership wanted to see the judges restored to pre-November 3 position and in this connection would not budge an inch from their declared stand.
The sources however said that PML-N had not given any deadline to coalition government for quitting the ruling alliance.