ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s ‘yes’ to Nawaz Sharif’s 10-point reforms agenda appears to have defused the tension for the time being, but the reconciliation may not last long because influential sections in the PML-N want nothing short of a complete break with the PPP.
According to PML-N sources, most lawmakers of the party are not happy over the development. “There was a consensus among PML-N leaders at the Jan 4 Central Executive Committee meeting that PPP ministers should be thrown out of the Punjab government, but the party leadership decided to give the beleaguered prime minister a chance,” a senior PML-N lawmaker said.
He said the second-tier leadership of the PML-N had accepted the 6/45 deadlines because they were sure that the PPP would not accept the demands and a break would be inevitable.
The lawmaker said that Governor Salman Taseer’s death had changed the scenario and compelled the party to soften its stance. The PML-N leaders were of the opinion that the party should distance itself from PPP’s policies and agenda if it wanted to win the next elections. The PML-N should strengthen the perception that it is an opposition party, and not an ally of the PPP.
“Our voters are completely confused and often ask us whether we are in the government or in the opposition,” the PML-N lawmaker said.
PML-N’s chief spokesperson Ahsan Iqbal is of the opinion that separation of the two parties in Punjab would help his party to keep its status as the main opposition.
Another PML-N veteran said the party’s rank and file members were for the one-point agenda of ousting PPP ministers from the Punjab cabinet as soon as possible, but they accepted their leadership’s decision to move slowly but steadily.
“Unfortunately, we are living in bad times. If the PML-N derails the democratic set-up through agitation, there will be unpredictable consequences. Yes, there is no love lost for the Zardari-Gilani set-up, but we don’t want to take any decision in haste,” he said.
Another PML-N legislator said the party leaders were clear about their demands which the prime minister had promised to fulfil in 45 days.
“If the PPP comes up with a tangible plan to end gas and electricity loadshedding, agrees to parliamentary oversight over the appointment of chief executives of major public sector organisations, passes accountability bill, sacks corrupt ministers and reduces government expenditures, we have no problems with the PPP ministers in Punjab,” he said.
There are three major differences between the two parties over the accountability bill. PML-N wants across-the-board accountability since 1947, but the PPP insists that it should be implemented from 1985.
The PML-N demands that the new accountability commission should be headed either by a sitting or a retired judge of the Supreme Court, whereas the PPP says that anybody eligible to become a judge of superior courts can hold the office. The PPP is opposed to a PML-N demand that the government should have the power to freeze foreign accounts of any Pakistani.
But this time, the PML-N legislator said, the party would not accept any half-hearted attempt on the part of the government. “Now everybody has next elections in mind and, therefore, the party leaders would have to take some quick decision,” he added.
