Upset by the rising popularity of Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and to frustrate any possible move by the undemocratic forces to take advantage of the fragile political situation in the country at the moment, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are coming closer together after weeks of tension that gained momentum after the latter launched a ‘Go Zardari Go’ movement, sources told Pakistan Today on Monday. Both parties are trying to reach a truce as the PML-N central leadership has reportedly assured the PPP that it would not sabotage the upcoming Senate elections.
A source in the PML-N told Pakistan Today that some interlocutors were working to bring both parties to a ceasefire and the PML-N’s decision to postpone its Gujranwala rally scheduled for November 25 was the outcome of such efforts. “The initiative was taken by a PML-N senator who held secret meetings with the PPP leaders to find middle ways for peaceful coexistence,” said a source in the PML-N. He said the PPP leadership had conveyed to the PML-N top brass that the latter’s aggressive anti-Zardari movement would serve no purpose for either party and there were no chances of any constitutional change as a result of the move before next year’s scheduled Senate elections. “The PPP leadership told the PML-N leaders that the government could announce short-term polls after March 2012 and the exhibition of street power by the PML-N to sabotage the upcoming Senate polls might cause the derailment of democratic order in the country,” he added. Another leader of the PPP said the growing popularity of Imran Khan’s PTI also brought the PML-N closer to the PPP. He said the PML-N had assured the PPP that its leaders would continue making anti-government speeches and statements but they would not cross the line that could put the existing democratic system in jeopardy. He said the PML-N’s swift act of filing a writ petition in the Supreme Court on the memogate issue was also meant to give time to the government. PML-N Information Secretary Senator Mushahidullah told Pakistan Today no secret negotiations for a truce were underway between the PPP and the PML-N. “We have stopped our movement because of Muharram… the PML-N opted to take the memogate case to the apex court as its repercussions on the government would be very detrimental if the charges are proved against President Zardari and former Pakistan ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani,” he said, adding the PML-N was least concerned about Imran Khan and his “rhetoric”.
Imran factor draws PPP, PML-N closer
