PML-N looking to win vote of confidence for Nawaz as premier

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is involved in backchannel contacts with major opposition parties to win a vote of confidence for its nominee for the slot of prime minister –Nawaz Sharif— in an attempt to get him elected as premier unanimously.
However, no major breakthrough has been achieved in this regard as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is not ready to vote for Sharif fearing public backlash. However, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) may vote for Sharif, returning the favour extended by the PML-N for PPP nominee Yousaf Raza Gilani in 2008, Pakistan Today has learnt reliably.
“In a bid to attain political reconciliation on major issues and to evolve a joint strategy to tackle issues such as peace dialogue with Taliban, power crisis and relations with India and USA, Nawaz Sharif wants full backing from all political forces of the country. With the same resolve, we are involved in back-channeling to persuade the political leadership to evolve consensus over major issues faced by the country,” a source in the PML-N told Pakistan Today.
The source said for the time being, the PML-N had contacted politicians who were soft towards the Sharif family. Those who have been reached for support include President Asif Ali Zardari, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, PML-F chief Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, PkMAP President Mahmood Khan Achakzai and other nationalist leaders.
“Even if these parties don’t join the federal government, they would definitely give their vote of confidence to Nawaz Sharif who would thus emerge as a national leader,” the source added.
Meanwhile, PTI held a long brainstorming session in Lahore on Saturday and decided to oppose any bid by the PML-N to go scot-free regarding election of the new prime minister.
A senior PTI leader said that there was no way the PTI would extend a vote of confidence to PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif.
“Although there has been no formal contact made with the PTI by PML-N, the PTI would not give a vote of confidence to Nawaz Sharif. Yes, we can abstain from the proceedings of vote of confidence just to extend a goodwill gesture and to avoid further bitterness,” the PTI leader added.
However, PTI Secretary Information Shireen Mazari said the party had decided to contest election for the slots of prime minister, speaker and deputy speaker and the PML-N would not be given a walkover despite their majority in the National Assembly.
“We have decided to pitch PTI President Makhdoom Javed Hashmi for the slot of prime minister, Shehryar Afridi for the post of National Assembly speaker and Munazza Hassan for deputy speaker. Imran Khan would be the parliamentary leader of the party in the National Assembly,” she added.
Asked whether any contact had been made by the PML-N for a vote of confidence for Nawaz Sharif, Mazari said she was unaware of any such interaction.
A PPP leader said his party may return the favour extended by the PML-N to Gilani in 2008.
When contacted, PPP Secretary Information Qamar Zaman Kaira said he had no knowledge about any such contact. “You better put this question to Farhatullah Babar, the presidential spokesman,” he said. Babar however did not respond to the question.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) issued results of 261 general seats of the National Assembly on May 22. According to the ECP, results of two constituencies have been withheld, while re-polling would be held at some polling stations of six National Assembly (NA) constituencies.
In NA, PML-N emerged as the largest party with 126 seats, followed by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) with 31 and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) with 27 seats. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) secured 18 seats while the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) bagged 10 seats.