Despite assurances by President Asif Ali Zardari to the PML-Q leadership of being given the deputy premiership for Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is resisting the move with the apprehension that it would curtail his powers. “The PML-Q leadership has not only asked the president for the ministries related to economy, power and energy sector, but there is also an agreement between both parties that the PML-Q deputy prime minister will have full control on the ministries under PML-Q control and supervise performance of his party ministers, while Prime Minister Gilani will have but little interference in the ministries,” said the source.
He said according to the power-sharing deal between the Chaudhrys and Zardari yet to be formally signed, the PPP government or its prime minister would not entertain any PML-Q parliamentarian or MPA directly and they would be entertained by the deputy prime minister, Elahi. “In response to the PML-Q’s demand, President Zardari has assured PML-Q leaders that under the agreement, the prime minister will keep his focus on the ministries under control of the PPP, ANP and MQM, while the deputy prime minister will take care of the ministries and departments handed over to the PML-Q. The Chaudhrys have also told Zardari that the PML-Q ministers will report to deputy prime minister Pervaiz Elahi,” the source said.
He said per the agreement, Zardari had assured the PML-Q that the ‘Q’ ministers would have full powers and PPP ministers would not interfere in their affairs. A source in the PPP told Pakistan Today that Gilani was not ready to surrender or share some of his powers with the proposed deputy prime minister. He said the differences between Zardari and Gilani would be sorted out in a meeting between the PML-Q leadership and the president and prime minister, which was scheduled for Sunday (today).
Sources in the PML-Q said apart from the slot of the deputy prime minister for Elahi, the part had finalised the names of Jam Muhammad Yousaf, Ghous Bukhsh Mehar, Faisal Saleh Hayat and Amir Muqaam for appointment as federal ministers, while the names of Sheikh Waqas Akram, Khwaja Shiraz, Shehnaz Sheikh and Sardar Shah Jehan Yousaf have been proposed for being appointed state ministers. A final decision on the number of final slots and portfolios would, however, be taken in the PPP-PML-Q meeting today.
Meanwhile, other Pakistan Today learnt that a memorandum of understanding between the PPP and the PML-Q to forge a new political alliance was most likely to be inked today (Sunday) when the Chaudhrys meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at the Presidency. The two parties are expected to finalise all nitty-gritty details about their future cooperation, with a nod of the prime minister, followed by signing of an agreement, sources revealed.
Already both sides have almost completed the ground work for the formation of a brand new coalition in the Centre with the PPP and the PML-Q fully poised to unite ranks in the federal government soon after the signing of the agreement either on Monday or Tuesday. Sources said during today’s meeting between the top leadership of both parties, the prime minister will be taken on board for the first time on the progress made by the two sides.
