PMLN agrees on political dialogue, says Kaira

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, who is a part of the PPP team for negotiations with other parties over the political impasse, has claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) had consented to take part in all-encompassing political dialogue.

Talking to The News Tuesday evening, he said that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was scheduled to meet the PPP team today (Wednesday) but he suddenly left for Dera Ismail Khan. He welcomed the initiative of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and ANP for wider talks.

In the meanwhile, parties comprising the ruling alliance will continue their discussions on the political situation and affairs related to the judiciary in another huddle (Wednesday) with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today.

Well-placed political sources told this scribe here that major parties of the alliance have divergent views over talks with the PTI but they are united in opposing May 14 polls in Punjab. Maulana Fazlur Rehman has taken a stern position on the question of dialogue with the PTI and especially about Imran Khan.

The sources said that the PPP and PTI are in agreement on holding general elections in the country in October. The PPP doesn’t believe in extending the tenure of the National Assembly through the imposition of emergency. The sources opined that the PPP leaders believe that they would be able to muster enough strength in the National Assembly to form a federal government. It would strike a new political alliance in the wake of general elections.

The PPP has faith in the skills of Asif Ali Zardari who could manage adequate support for the PPP in forming the federal government.

Asif Zardari is eying the chief executive slot for his son, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The PPP’s moves are well understood by its allies in the federal government.

They are aware of backdoor channels between the PPP and PTI. The PTI could tolerate PPP’s federal government with the hope that it wouldn’t be harsh towards Imran like the JUIF and PMLN.

Asif Zardari is also building a rapport with other elements who could be supportive of achieving his party’s targets. It is likely that talks between the major parties would start soon.

The PPP negotiation team under former prime minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani comprises PPP Parliamentary Group Leader in National Syed Naveed Qamar and Adviser to the PM Chaudhary Qamar Zaman Kaira, who have established contacts with the PMLN leaders Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Rana Sanaullah Khan.

The second-tier PPP and ANP leadership could also enter into dialogue with the PTI, sources believe. The exercise could help in reducing the tensions which have risen high. They are of the view that clashes between the institutions and persisting logjam could compound political, economic, constitutional and judicial crises.

Both parties have expressed the resolve that no compromise would be made on the constitutional role of the parliament and civil supremacy.

They are hopeful that any political crisis, how big it may be, could be sorted out through talks.

For this purpose, political parties and state institutions should stay within the constitutional domains. Both parties endorse the view that the elections must be held on one day throughout the country.