ISLAMABAD - Amidst the uncertainty prevailing in the country on political front and the ruling PPP determination to go for another showdown with the apex judiciary, the rumours about early elections seemed turning into reality, but a careful examination of the arrangements of things in the political arena belie the popular notion of pre-schedule or early elections.

By the background interviews and interaction with people both in power echelons and those in command of things in key opposition parties, it could be safely said that no major stakeholder in the national politics wants elections ahead of their schedule on one pretext or the other.
Even Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, riding the tide of promising youths, wants another six to seven months to reorganise the party’s ranks and files, which turned topsy-turvy after the adoption of a large number of ‘elect-ables’ including some big names like Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, from other political parties. Neither the PPP, nor any of their coalition partners want pre-schedule elections, especially in the presence of unprecedented loadshedding and in extremely bad shape economic conditions, none of them want to go to masses for fresh mandate.
Political analysts and constitutional experts are of the view that the PPP could fall prey to the ongoing tussle with the superior judiciary, which the party leadership is not ready to shun, as it had explicitly expressed its determination to defy the court direction regarding writing of letter to Swiss authorities for opening up the graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.
Legal minds were also divided over the issue whether the apex court would give some laxity to the ruling elite this time by opting for some other option to resolve the issue as some of them are of the opinion that the court should go for one of the seven options and form a commission which would write letter to Swiss authorities, but the others are of the view that Supreme Court of Pakistan is entrapped in its own judgment and could not back out from its stated stance to get the job done from the incumbent Chief Executive of the country and in case of failure he would going to meet the same fate.
Some senior leaders in PPP informed TheNation on condition of anonymity that the party leadership wanted to complete its mandated term and it would try to take time from the apex court in NRO implementation case by adopting delaying tactics available to them in the legal process.
These party leaders were of the view that in the prevailing circumstance the party could not afford hold early elections as the general public sentiment were against the ruling coalition particularly, Pakistan People’s Party. They further said that now with the resumption of NATO supplies and revival of the relations with the United States the PPP led coalition government would going to get US $ 2.5 billion till end December and the first tranche of US $ 1.10 billion coming in their hands by end of current month. This money would virtually be used for election campaign of the party for next general elections, which would be held in the beginning of the next year. With such a huge amount in hand the PPP and its allies could not only provide relief to the general public but would also facilitate the party leaders in execution of development projects in their respective areas which would place them in strong position to contest upcoming general elections.
On the other hand the Pakistan Muslim League(Nawaz) was not taking any strong position against the ruling alliance or not pushing the things to a deadlock like situation in fear that some third force could intervene and deprive them of their right to form the next government, about which they are very confident.
An insider in the PML-N said that the fear-driven policy of the PML-N leadership was barring them from showdown with the ruling PPP, as they were not in a mood to forego their role in the formation of interim government, which could only ensure the smooth transition of government to winners of the next general elections.
There is strong realization in the power corridors in Federal Capital that PPP wanted to clash situation with judiciary which could lead to some ‘third party’ intervention in this way they would not only portray them as victim and win over the masses sympathies in the days to come or when the next general elections would be held.
But the party leadership termed it all rubbish and said that why the PPP would do all this because with the support of their coalition partners they are expecting good results in and above all why they would put at stake their position in the Upper House as in case of some ‘third force’ intervention nobody could ensure the safety of the Senate where PPP alone was having 41 members.
Sources aware of the developments on PPP-judiciary standoff on NRO implementation case informed The Nation that PPP would try to buy maximum time from the apex court and the court and this time as stated by the Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf the matter of Presidential Immunity under Article 248 could come under examination in the apex court and it would definitely be a time consuming exercise. But the real purpose of the PPP to get maximum time out of it would likely be served in the process.