Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has launched a broader consultative process to carve out a strategy to deal with the “million-man” march by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and “Inqilab March” jointly headed by Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders.
However, the name of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government’s major ally Pir Pagaro has been missing from the list, probably due to his close relations with the General Headquarters (GHQ) and his meeting with former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf in April this year.
PML-F has six members in the National Assembly while its 10 lawmakers are in the Sindh Assembly. Traditionally, PML-F is considered an ally of the army and its leader Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi have time and again reiterated his support for the GHQ in recent past, in line with traditions set by his late father.
Sources in the Prime Minister’s House told Pakistan Today that the prime minister’s meetings have been lined up for next few days with a Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) delegation among others but the name of Pir Pagaro is missing from the list.
The prime minister has held meetings with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Shah, Qaumi Watan Party leader Aftab Sherpao, PkMAP President Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Jamiat Ahle Hadith chief Prof Sajid Mir till date.
Prime Minister Press Secretary Mohayuddin Wani did not comment on the issue.
However, a source in the PML-N said that the prime minister was angry with Rashdi for publicly meeting with Musharraf in April last.
“The prime minister feels that despite being a coalition partner, Pir Pagaro breached all political traditions by having a meeting with the former dictator. Since Pir Sahib has himself drawn the battlelines, the prime minister may not feel it necessary to consult him in the given situation,” the PML-N leader added.
IT’S SHARIF’S PREROGATIVE:
When contacted, PML-F leader Nusrat Sehr Abbasi said that it was the prerogative of the prime minister to consult whosoever he wanted.
“I think that the prime minister has consulted those leaders who are not a part of the government. Since we are very much a coalition partner, he may not have thought it necessary to consult us,” she added.
When informed that the premier had consulted coalition partners, including Fazlur Rehman and Allama Sajid Mir, Abbasi seemed short of an argument.
When asked if the prime minister had avoided any consultation with Pir Sahib due to his close ties with the GHQ, Abbasi was speechless.
However, she summed up stating that if necessary, the prime minister could call Pir Sahib directly by phone or he may consult with Pir Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi, who was a cabinet member and was accessible to the premier.