LAHORE, Jan 1: Dismissive of the assertion of political analysts that the establishment is behind the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl’s manoeuvres, the Pakistan People’s Party believes that “political necessity” has forced the two coalition partners to part ways.
At the same time the PPP circles are all praise for their political arch-rival, Nawaz Sharif, for refusing to “play in the hands of the establishment” (to topple the government). Mr Sharif’s stance has led them to believe that the crisis created by the JUI-F and the MQM will be “as short-lived as the previous ones”.
Some PPP leaders Dawn spoke to on Saturday shared the opinion that had the PML-N given a go ahead to the establishment, it would not have been difficult for it to take parties like the MQM and the JUI-F onboard to achieve its goal.
“The MQM and JUI-F’s decision to ‘partially’ quit the federal government should be seen in the context of the next general election. I want to make it clear that this so-called crisis has not much to do with Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza’s diatribe against the MQM and sacking of JUI-F’s federal minister Azam Swati,” a close aide of President Zardari, who is involved in parleys with the MQM, said.
In fact, he said, the MQM had not demanded action against Mirza rather it created an issue to press the PPP for accepting other demands including no to demarcation of constituencies especially in Karachi and Hyderabad (the MQM stronghold), and no to commissionerate and biometric systems.
“The PPP government intends to introduce the biometric system in the next election and the MQM fears that it will affect its voters.” He said: “The MQM has long been disturbed over these issues and Mr Mirza’s episode provided it an opportune time to mount pressure on the federal government.” The MQM, he said, also could not afford compromise on new demarcations as they might impact on the outcome of the future elections for it.
About the JUI-F’s ‘principled’ stance, another PPP leader said Maulana Fazlur Rehman chose right time to quit the government primarily to improve his image. “His reputation was at stake after the revelation of the secret cables by WikiLeaks that he had called the US ambassador for a dinner and requested her to make him the prime minister of Pakistan,” said the PPP leader from Karachi.
“You see why Rehman Malik, Khurshid Shah and Qayyum Soomro failed to woo Maulana Sahib. They were perhaps under the (old) impression of him that he is interested in augmenting his political stature but they did not have the idea that he is investing for the next general election,” he said.
Samiullah Khan, the PPP Punjab secretary general, preferred to remain on record. “After three years, the next general election are in sight of all political parties and they have launched preparations for it. The moves of both MQM and JUI-F have something to do with elections.” Mr Khan believes that Nawaz Sharif’s stance in the ongoing crisis will help reduce hostilities between the PPP and the PML-N. “The PPP is appreciative of Mr Sharif for his role in strengthening democracy in the country,” he said.
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