PPP, PML-Q finalise power-sharing deal

[Shaa-Baaz]

PPP, PML-Q finalise power-sharing deal

* Taseer, Elahi meet at Governor’s House
* Discuss district nazims’ complaints against Punjab government
* Nazims to meet president after his return from foreign tour

LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) have finalised a power-sharing deal in Punjab, but will announce the pact at ‘an appropriate time’, a private TV channel reported on Tuesday.

Citing unnamed sources in the PML-Q, the channel said the party has decided to form an alliance with the PPP ‘if the need arises’, after its efforts for the reunifications of the various factions of the Muslim League failed.

Earlier on Tuesday, Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer and former Punjab chief minister Pervaiz Elahi met at the Governor’s House. Sources privy to the talks told Daily Times the two leaders decided that representatives of district nazims of Punjab will meet President Asif Ali Zardari over the Punjab government’s alleged interference with the district governments.

They said Elahi hailed the governor’s support for the nazims and Taseer assured him he would arrange their meeting with Zardari as soon as the president returned from a foreign tour.

But a private news channel said they also discussed a political strategy in case the Supreme Court decides against the Sharif brothers in their electoral eligibility case.

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court is hearing the case of the electoral eligibility of the Sharif brothers. The counsel for Nawaz Sharif’s proposer was giving arguments on Tuesday when the court time ended. The proceedings were adjourned for today (Wednesday).

Citing unidentified PML-Q leaders, the channel said the governor had offered the slot of chief minister to the former ruling party in case Shahbaz is disqualified.

The channel also said 23 district nazims from Punjab would meet President Zardari on February 7.

Pervaiz Elahi’s son Moonis Elahi was also present in the meeting, which is being seen as a significant event in the context of the current political situation.

Talking to a private TV channel after the meeting, Moonis said they had only discussed the issue of ‘harassment’ of the district nazims by the Punjab government. “Efforts are being made to destroy the system,” he told the channel, adding that the governor had assured them he would discuss the issue with the president.

Moonis said he was not keen on becoming the chief minister of Punjab, adding that his party only wanted political stability in the province. daily times monitor/afnan khan

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...4-2-2009_pg1_1