To give final touches to the PPP’s concept of national consensus government, the PML-Q will hold a consultation meeting with the MQM today (Tuesday) and will not announce joining the ruling coalition until availing the last chance to woo JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman on his return from Vienna to become part of proposed setup. “The MQM delegation will meet PML-Q leadership on Tuesday (today) in Islamabad to devise a common agenda for presenting to President Asif Ali Zardari.
If the PPP government makes firm commitments on implementing the agenda, jointly-proposed by the PML-Q and the MQM, both will join the cabinet simultaneously,” a source said, adding that after finalising the outline of the national agenda, both parties would wait for Fazl’s arrival to win his consent on the plan. The source said PML-Q President Shujaat Hussain wanted the PML-Q, MQM and the JUI-F to join the PPP-led coalition government simultaneously.
“According to Shujaat, this step will not only completely isolate the Sharifs but will also reduce the media bashing of the PML-Q on its alliance with the PPP,” the source said, adding that the PML-Q would never announce its coalition with the PPP until Fazl returned.
Chaudhrys preparing list of candidates, likely to meet Zardari: Meanwhile, a report from Lahore stated that the number of visitors at the residence of the Chaudhrys has increased in the past few days, as consultations are on within the party over the names of PML-Q leaders to be inducted into the federal cabinet.
The party leadership had to issue a press release that no list of ministers had been shared with the PPP leadership so far in order to appease the party leaders expecting something in the new political setup. However, party sources said the Chaudhrys were due to meet the PPP top leadership, most likely President Asif Ali Zardari, in a couple of days after the completion of the intra-party consultation process. As per reports, the PPP government has offered five ministries and an adviser’s post to the PML-Q and names of Chaudhry Wajahat, Ghaus Bakhsh Mehar, Sheikh Waqas Akram, Riaz Pirzada and Amir Muqam are under consideration for ministerial slots. Mushahid Hussain Syed’s name is also under consideration for the post of adviser to the prime minister on foreign affairs.
