Rumours of change die down

The rumours of political change at the top that skyrocketed in the last couple of days finally started dying down in the federal capital and elsewhere in the country and are replaced with a talk of some compromise reached between Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, suggesting as if time for any adventurism involving military or judicial activism is over.
Not long ago and to be very precisely throughout last week, it seemed that the PPP leadership was hauled over the coals. The whole party and its leadership were on its toes trying to get to the bottom of the conspiracy being hatched in their backyard, feeling the heat generated by some head-spinning rumours in the country.
One thing that was giving them sleepless nights since the bizarre memogate controversy intensified was the talk of minus-one formula being whispered in the power corridors, suggesting that the present government or set-up can stay but minus one person, and that person being President Zardari.
But with the prime minister’s lengthy meeting of more than three hours with the army chief and later issuance of a joint statement has changed everything overnight, taking with it all the rumours including that of minus-one formula in the offing.
Sources privy to unfolding developments in Islamabad say that some compromise has been reached between the political leadership and military establishment for the time being, setting stage for President Zardari’s return to the country.
Sources confided that the compromise also suggested that any change through military or judiciary was neither acceptable to most political stakeholders in the country nor it was on cards. During the last few days, the civil society’s members and lawyers even expressed their disapproval towards any unconstitutional change in the country.
Sources said the statements of first Shahbaz Sharif and then Imran Khan ruling out the possibility of any undemocratic change in the country provided an ample testimony of the stakes the political actors had in democracy in the country. Their statements also suggested that things were on the mend between the PPP government and military leadership.
Sources disclosed that the military leadership had some complaints against the president and some of his close aides, and of late the military looked for somebody more pliable in the Presidency than the person of a more authoritative Asif Zardari. But top military brass wants to achieve its objectives without destablising the rest of the system.
But now it seems that an agreement had been reached, though its details will come out with the passage of time and all parties would back track from their maximalist positions. It will be interesting to see if the president continues to play a more assertive role as before or the prime minister assumes a more dominant position in coming days.
However, one thing is clear both the political leadership and generals are more willing to sort out their differences amicably than going for any extreme step.
The prime minister, meanwhile, seems pretty confident, both in the parliament and also outside it; as if he is sure that there is no threat to present political set up.
According to the prime minister, the president would return soon. Some TV reports suggest that President Zardari will return by Sunday night or Monday morning. Sources said the PPP’s senior leaders were not ready to pick a fight with the establishment at this stage or anytime later.