LAHORE/ISLAMABAD – Desperate to muster support for himself, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani spent the entire day on Monday locked in talks with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi.
Though the meeting between Shahbaz and Gilani was prescheduled, the prime minister could not touch any other issue except seeking the PML-N’s support for the survival of his government. Sources privy to the meeting told Pakistan Today that Shahbaz, who had earlier visited Raiwind to consult his party head Nawaz Sharif, assured Gilani that the PML-N would neither table a no-confidence move nor become part of any such move.
“Shahbaz also said the PML-N would never destabilise the government, however, making it clear that his party would not lend support to the government falling because of its failures,” the source said. The Punjab chief minister assured Gilani that all decisions would be taken keeping in view of national interests, demanding the prime minister to withdraw the recent increase in the prices of petroleum products in the larger interest of the public.
However, according to the sources, Shahbaz said the PML-N Central Organising Committee meeting, to be held on January 4 in Islamabad, would take stock of the prevailing situation and come up with a formal strategy. Later, Shahbaz briefed the PML-N chief about the details of his meeting with the prime minister. After meeting Shahbaz, Gilani drove to the Chaudhrys’ residence where he held a meeting with the PML-Q leadership.
According to APP, Gilani said the PML-Q leadership had assured him of unconditional support to the PPP-led government. “The PML-Q has always offered unconditional support to my government on all national issues and it will do the same for strengthening democracy and the institutions,” APP quoted him as telling reporters later. “I have come to seek support from PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Pervaiz Elahi and other leaders,” he said.
However, sources revealed that though the Chaudhrys assured their guest that they would not allow the system to be derailed, they did not promise anything to the prime minister. Instead, they informed him that the party’s Central Working Committee meeting called on January 4 would draw the final response towards the crisis. The sources said that in their consultations with other party leaders before the meeting, the Chaudhrys had decided that they would refrain from giving any undertaking or commitment to the prime minister.
According to AFP, Shujaat said he would consult his party, but indicated that it could come to the prime minister’s rescue. “We will support them on one condition that they will solve the problems being faced by the people of Pakistan. We do not want to blackmail them. We talked about all issues namely the reformed general sales tax bill, inflation, unemployment and the anti-blasphemy law,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Meanwhile, the PML-N and the PML-Q have summoned their crucial meetings today (Tuesday) to devise their political strategy to meet existing political challenges. Nawaz will chair his party’s Central Organising Committee meeting while Shujaat will chair his party’s CWC meeting. A source in the PML-N said there were differences in the party ranks over the PML-N’s future course of action.
“Some leaders feel that the party should forge an alliance with opposition parties including the PML-Q, the MQM and the JUI-F and help people get rid of the incompetent and corrupt government,” he said, adding that the second group in the party was against forming a coalition government with the MQM and the JUI-F.
He said in its CWC meeting, the PML-Q will decide its line of future action. “The PML-Q will not expose its cards before the PML-N does,” a PML-Q leader said.
