Pakistan's new balance of power

[mujahideen]

PML-F will continue supporting Musharraf: Pagara

Wednesday, March 05, 2008
By our correspondent

Pir Pagara, the chief of the Functional Muslim League (PML-F) has declared that his party will continue to support President Pervez Musharraf.

The spiritual leader of Hurs who was the coalition partner of the Q League at the centre and in Sindh also declared that PML-F MNAs and provincial assemblies members would sit in the parliament with those parties who supported the President Musharraf.

The Functional League chief said this while talking to a Punjab delegation of his party comprising provincial PML-F chief Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood and party MNA and ex-federal minister Jehangir Tareen who called on Pir Pagara on Tuesday at Kingri House.

Pir Pagara announced his support to Pervez Musharraf just one day after the PPP announcement that Syed Qaim Ali Shah would be the party candidate for chief minister Sindh. Sources said Pir Pagara was expecting that the PPP would nominate his son-in-law Agha Siraj Durrani.

Sources said that Islamuddin Shaikh, a close friend of Asif Zardari, called on Pir Pagara on Tuesday and discussed the political situation. Sources said that Pir Pagara expressed his reservation about the PPP nominee for the top slot of the province.

Sources said that Pir Pagara told his party leaders that the PPP and Nawaz Sharif were not natural allies and both parties could not sit together for long. Their differences, he said, would come out into the open very soon.

The PML-F chief also discussed the latest political situation with the newly-elected party legislators. Both Punjab PML-F leaders informed Pir Pagara about the current political situation in Punjab and took party guidelines from the party chief.

A PML-F national assembly member Jadam Mangrio who was the adviser to the chief minister Sindh in the previous set-up attended the meeting convened by the Q league leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in Islamabad on Tuesday.

PML-F will continue supporting Musharraf: Pagara

 

[mujahideen]

PPP questions maintainability of MQM’s petitions

Wednesday, March 05, 2008
By our correspondent

Karachi- The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has questioned the maintainability of petitions filed by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) candidates, wherein they challenged the election results of five Karachi constituencies, and requested the court to vacate interim stay on the said petitions.

MQM candidates Dr. K.S Mujahid, Sheikh Mohammad Feroz, Sardar Khan, Salahuddin and Ashfaq Mangi had challenged the results of NA-239, PS-89, PS-128, PS-93 and PS-90, respectively.

On February 23 the court had grant interim stay, restraining the Election Commission from notifying the official result of returned candidates of the above said constituencies. PPP candidates Abdul Qadir Patel, Nadeem Bhutto and Akhtar Hussain won the election from NA-239, PS-89 and PS-90, while Awami National Party candidates Ameer Nawab and Amanullah Maqsood were declared as elected from PS-93 and PS-128.

PPP counsel Rasheed A Razvi argued that the petitions were not maintainable under Article 199 of the Constitution and the same may be dismissed. He contended that the Election Commission had notified official result of retuned candidates and due to interim stay of the court the people of the above said constituencies were disfranchised who got elected the returned candidates of PPP. He prayed the court to vacate the interim stay as withholding of election result was also affecting the PPP’s representation in reserved seats for women and minorities. SHC’s division bench adjourned the hearing till March 5 for hearing arguments of the petitioner and the respondents.

Meanwhile, the same bench dismissed the petition of PML (Q) candidate Zulfiqar Ali Kamario against PPP candidate Agha Siraj Durrani as his counsel withdrew the same. The petitioner had challenged the election result of PS-9 Shikarpur.

The hearing of the petitions filed by PPP candidates Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Syed Najmi Alam, Abdul Habib Memon, Habib Jan and a PML (N) candidate against the election results of NA-250, PS-112, NA-249, PS-110 and PS-113 was adjourned by the court till March 13.

PPP questions maintainability of MQM’s petitions

 

[mujahideen]

Pro-Musharraf parties vow to stand united

MQM decides to sit in opposition

Wednesday, March 05, 2008
By Asim Yasin

ISLAMABAD: Pro-Musharraf parties -- the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and allied parties -- on Tuesday held a 'show of strength' here on Tuesday, expressing their resolve to play the role of a vibrant issue-based opposition in the parliament jointly.

At a luncheon meeting organised by the PML-Q at a local hotel, the coalition partners of the former ruling alliance termed the occasion a 'family reunion'.

In the meeting, the MQM also finally announced to sit on opposition benches in partnership with the Q-League.

In a show of strength attended by 60 out of total 65 parliamentarians from PML-Q, MQM, PML-Functional and National People's Party, the PPP-Sherpao distanced itself from the former allies by staying away from the function.

Most of the speakers were upbeat about staying in the opposition and extending support to President Pervez Musharraf.

Q-League and MQM leaders took a clear stance over the issue of sitting on the opposition benches while PML-F and NPP still seemed undecided.

Addressing the gathering, PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat said they would have no objection if the MQM becomes part of the Sindh government. This get-together is aimed at giving clear message to the power-sharing parties that "we were united and will remain united. We will not make any compromise on party interests and will take part in positive politics by sitting on opposition benches", he added.

He made it clear that the gathering did not aim at forging a grand opposition alliance. "I have told our partners that they are free to become part of any coalition in the new set-up at federal or provincial levels in the larger interest of their supporters. We would never compel any party or group to join us," he said.

Shujaat said his party would stay in the opposition and would play its role as a constructive and vigilant opposition which would never compromise on national integrity and prestige.

"We would establish new trends as opposition and would adopt a national agenda. We would fulfil our commitments and would support the government on national issues and people-friendly legislation. But we would confront any negative step taken by the treasury," he said.

He expressed gratitude to the leaders of the allied parties for extending support to his party.

MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar came up with an elaborate stance by making two key demands, one each from PPP and President Musharraf.

"As the unnecessary delay in the formation of government is irking public and amplifying ambiguity, we demand of the PPP to announce its nominee for the slot of prime minister. We also appeal to President Pervez Musharraf to convene the National Assembly session at the earliest so as the prevailing ambiguity on political front could be cleared once and for all," he said.

He proposed to the opposition to put forth its agenda for the first 180 days. "The agenda should comprise issues of terrorism, law and order, strengthening of democratic institutions, and respecting the public mandate of all political parties, including the opposition," he added.

Moreover, he said we should make sure that promises made by parties forming the government are fulfilled.

He said issues regarding price hike, shortage of water, electricity and gas should be addressed. "If the caretaker government has unnecessarily increased prices of petroleum, electricity and gas, the new government should reverse the decision," said the MQM leader.

Senator Abdur Razzaq Thahim of PML-F congratulated all participants and clarified that Pir Sahib Pagaro could not meet Ch. Shujaat during his recent visit to Sindh as he was indisposed. Senator Asif Jatoi of National People's Party (NPP) spoke on behalf of his party leader and NPP Chairman Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and only said that his leader could not make it to the meeting and had asked him to represent his party.

PML-Q Punjab president Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said his party has bagged more votes than either the PPP or the PML N.

Lauding steps taken by President Musharraf, Elahi felicitated the president who had ensured that foreign investment kept coming despite the fact that the country was facing the menace of terrorism and the nation had to face devastating earthquake in 2005.

Without mentioning the PML-N Chief Mian Nawaz Sharif, Elahi said there are some politicians who are targeting the presidency. "This tendency is not in the interest of the democracy, the country or the people. They also confronted two former presidents, two army chiefs and superior judiciary which reveal that they (Sharifs) have learnt nothing from the past," he said.

PML-Q leaders Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Amir Muqam, Sumaira Malik, Senator Nasir Mengal, Ghous Bakhsh Khan Mehar and Kamil Ali Agha and MQM leader Senator Babar Khan Ghauri also addressed the gathering.

Chief Executive Northern Areas Mir Ghazanfar Ali also led a delegation of MPs from Northern Areas Legislative Assembly (NALA) to the gathering to express solidarity with the PML-Q.

Pro-Musharraf parties vow to stand united

 

[mujahideen]

US uneasy about Pak political scene

* VOA report says spiraling terrorism, change in government ‘promoting anxiety’

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: The increasing violence in Pakistan and a possible change in the new Pakistani government’s policy on fighting Taliban and Al Qaeda are a cause of concern in the US and the West, according to a Voice of America (VOA) report published on Tuesday.

“Top US officials say the stakes are very high in Pakistan now that South Asia has become a region of vastly increased importance to the United States,” it said.

US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told VOA that cooperation with the government in Islamabad remained “a critical component” of the US strategy against terrorism. “As Afghanistan’s neighbor, Pakistan plays a pivotal role in the coalition’s war effort there,” he said.

The report said experts were concerned that the US had centered its policy on President Pervez Musharraf, but his political allies suffered a major defeat in the February 18 parliamentary elections.

Jonah Blank, the chief policy adviser for South Asia for the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, told VOA that the changes in the Pakistani political scene are causing anxiety among foreign policy planners. “From a US perspective, there is a certain amount of trepidations,” he said.

Experts are concerned that the new government’s attempt to negotiate with Al Qaeda and Taliban would allow them to regroup and plot new attacks.

Robert Grenier, the former head of the CIA’s Counter Terrorism Center and the agency’s former station chief in Islamabad, told VOA that negotiations with militants “may be tempting but they will not work”.

Nicholas Schmidle, a researcher who spent the past two years in Pakistan and traveled frequently to the Tribal Areas, said militants had taken over remote areas of Pakistan by killing some 250 tribal elders and peace treaties were no longer being signed by tribal elders.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[ejaz007]

Azeem resigns from PML-Q office ​

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Senator Tariq Azeem of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) set a new precedent in the political culture of the Muslim League by tendering his resignation from the post of the central information secretary after the failure of the party in the recent election.

“Yes, I have tendered my resignation to the party President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on the party’s defeat in the recent election. “I feel that it is my moral duty to follow the democratic traditions by taking responsibility for the party’s defeat,” Azeem said while confirming his resignation from the PML-Q post to The News on Tuesday.

When asked about the reason of his resignation from the party office, he said he felt that all the office-bearers of the PML-Q were responsible for the poor performance of the party and they owed responsibility in this regard. Meanwhile, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has not accepted the resignation yet and asked Tariq Azeem to continue work.

Azeem resigns from PML-Q office

 

[ejaz007]

Efforts underway for significant forward bloc in PML-Q​

* Bloc weighing options, waiting for signal
* PML-Q MPA-elect Najaf claims many MPAs-elect ready to join bloc
* Purported group members deny their involvement in any forward bloc
By Ali Waqar

LAHORE: Efforts are underway to from a forward bloc within the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) with an aim of taking 25 lawmakers-elect on board, sources said on Tuesday.

Punjab Assembly (PA) members-elect from Jhang have initiated this forward bloc. They are also set to meet other like-minded parliamentarians-elect to woo their support. However, the legislatures-elect of the targeted group say they are not defecting to any other party or joining this forward bloc. The purported members of the forward bloc did not attend the last meeting of the PML-Q Punjab parliamentary meeting at the residence of former chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, held last week.

The forward bloc is set to make its final decision to defect to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) or the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in a couple of days.

Inclination: According to the sources, the current inclination of the group is towards the PML-N because the PPP has not given it any “lift”.

MPA-elect Najaf Abbas Syal, purported spokesman of the forward bloc, met PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif before going abroad.

Claims: Najaf told Daily Times that the forward block consisted of seven MPAs-elect and two MNAs-elect from Jhang including Khalid Mehmood Sargana, Qamar Hayat Kathya, Saqlain Anwar Sipra, Sheikh Muhammad Yaqoob, Mian Muhammad Azam Chaila, Sultan Sikander Bharwana, Sahibzada Mahboob Sultan, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana and Najaf himself.

According to Najaf, other MPAs-elect include Jawad Kamran, Ahmed Yar Ranjha, Mian Ata Muhammad Manika, Iftikhar Gillani, Dr Tahir Ali Javed, Syed Raza Ali Gillani, Jafar Sargana and 10 others.

Najaf said the bloc was formed after difference emerged between party members and the PML-Q leadership during the erstwhile government.

He said the group was in contact with other lawmakers-elect and that they wanted the continuity of development in their respective areas, and were unhappy with the present PML-Q leadership.

About his meeting with Shahbaz, he said the meeting was arranged on his personal request and that he had inclination towards the PML-N.

“Though the PML-N has a majority in the PA but the PPP and PML-Q could also form a coalition government,” he said. He said the final decision would be made after having a consensus within the group. The PML-Q unfortunately, he said, could not become a party in the past five to eight years.

Denial: Many of the purported forward bloc members were not available for comment. However, MNA-elect Sahibzada Mahboob Sultan and MPA-elect Syed Raza Ali Gillani said they had no differences with the party, and denied their involvement in any likeminded group. They said some elements with vested interests were propagating against them.

Moreover, insiders in the PPP and PML-N said that many PML-Q parliamentarians-elect were in contact with the winning parties but any major development had not taken place.

 

[mujahideen]

Consultations going on for formation of new government

ISLAMABAD: The residence of co-chairman Pakistan People’s Party Asif Ali Zardari, Zardari House has become the centre of political activities also on previous day.

Besides the delegation of the PML (N), maulana Fazlur Rehman and Hamid Nasir Chattha also met with the co-chairman PPP.

Views were exchanged on constitutional amendments during the meeting with the PML (N), on formation of the government in a meeting with Fazlur Rehman and regarding the future of President Pervez Musharraf with Chattha.

The central leadership of the PPP – Makhdoom Amin Faheem, Yousuf Raza Gilani, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar and Sherry Rehman was associating with Asif Ali Zardari during these political meetings.

The most important meeting was with the PML (N) during which Chaudhry Nisar Ali, Ishaq Dar and Khwaja Asif discussed various matters of the forthcoming government with the leaders of the PPP.

The PML (N) assured the PPP that it has no objection if the PPP includes the MQM in the government formation in the centre and Sindh.

The issue of restoration of the deposed judges was also discussed in the meeting and it was mutually agreed that it would be decided in the parliament.

Meanwhile, delegations from various parts of the country met with Asif Zardari. Also, a delegation from northern areas consisting of Lal Hussain, Muhammad Fida Karim, Abbas Ali and Fida Hussain informed Zardari about the problems of their areas.

Consultations going on for formation of new government

 

[mujahideen]

European Union expects smooth transition of power

* Delegation congratulates PPP co-chairman
* Mushahid Hussain says PML-Q has accepted defeat in elections

By Muhammad Bilal

ISLAMABAD: A European Union (EU) delegation said on Tuesday it expected a smooth transition of power to the elected political forces in Pakistan. Talking to Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari at Zardari House, the delegation, headed by state secretary in the office of the prime minister of Slovenia Matjaz Sinkovec, assured its full cooperation to the incoming democratic government. Congratulations: The delegates congratulated Zardari on his party’s success in the parliamentary elections. Zardari, appreciating the role of the EU poll observers during the elections, hoped the coalition would continue to play an active role in promoting democracy in Pakistan. Holding a series of meetings with the country’s top politicians, the EU delegation also met PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali and the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mushahid Hussain. The EU delegation also called on ANP chief Asfandyar Wali at the Parliament Lodges and congratulated him on his party’s success in the polls. ANP Information Secretary Zahid Khan, who attended the meeting, said the two sides discussed the current political scenario, focusing on the worsening law and order in the NWFP, where the party is expected to make the government. “Wali told EU diplomats that his party would introduce reforms in the province to improve law and order and sought the support of the EU in this regard,” Khan added. During a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, the delegation was briefed on PML-N’s stance against President Pervez Musharraf. The PML-N secured the second-highest number of seats in the National Assembly and has a leading position in the Punjab Assembly. Haq met the diplomats at his residence and said his party did not recognise Musharraf as a constitutional president. He also urged the EU to play its due role in strengthening democracy in Pakistan. The delegation also called upon PML-Q secretary general and the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mushahid Hussain Sayed at Parliament House and lauded his government’s role in holding free, fair, and transparent elections that have redeemed Pakistan’s image in the comity of nations. Sinkovec told Mushahid that the EU fully supported the democratic process in Pakistan and expected to see a smooth transfer of power as a result of the February 18 elections. He said the EU would closely interact with Pakistan’s future parliament. Accepted: Sayed said the PML-Q had accepted its defeat in the polls and was ready to play a constructive role as the opposition. He said the proverbial ‘ball’ was now in the poll winners’ court and they should make the government and move forward. On the issue of the sacked judiciary, he said the parties were united on judicial independence, but parliament was the best and most appropriate forum to settle the question of the restoration of the judges The foreign affairs committee chairman emphasised the need for America and the EU to revise their policies regarding the war on terror. He said all the neighbours of Afghanistan, including Iran, should be taken on board to have proper and constructive negotiations for peace and stability in the region.

Courtesy Daily Times

 

[mujahideen]

PPPP to occupy Speaker slot, ANP Deputy Speaker, 21 members NWFP cabinet agreed; Afrasiab

PESHAWAR March 05(APP): The select committees of the Awami National Party and Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians formed to evolve consensual power sharing formula for the future coalition government in the NWFP Wednesday agreed to keep 21 members cabinet in the first phase with PPPP to occupy the slot of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker from the ANP.

The select committees headed by President of ANP NWFP Afrasiab Khattak and Provincial Chief of PPPP Rahimdad Khan met here at the residence of Senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour.

Veteran parliamentarian Bashir Ahmed Bilour will administer oath to the newly nominated Speaker of the NWFP Assembly as former Speaker Bakht Jehan Khan had resigned from the post after the dissolution of the NWFP Assembly by the then Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani.

Later briefly briefing the mediaperson after the meeting, Afrasiab Khattak said, there would be two senior ministers in the next cabinet one each from the coalition partners i.e. ANP and PPPP. Moreover of the 21 members cabinet, 12 would belong to ANP and nine from the PPPP. He said the post of Speaker would be given to the PPPP nominee while the ANP would keep the slot of Deputy Speaker.

To a question about the portfolios, he said, ANP would get the ministries of Education, Auqaf, Zakat, Hajj, Agriculture and Environment, Fishries, Sports and Tourism, Local Government, Information, Law and Parliamentary Affiars, Works and Services Department.

The PPPP would get Excise and Taxation, Finance, Planning and Development, Population Welfare, Irrigation, Health, Food, Revenue, Industries and Commerce.

The power sharing formula would be finalized in five to six days. He said there was total understanding and consensus between the coalition partners and ruled the possibility of differences over any issue.

The ANP head parried the question about replacing the NWFP Governor and said “no comment at this stage as this matter has not been discussed in today’s parleys”. “I don’t think any thing that is undecided between the ANP and PPPP would be referred to the central command of the party for decision as everything settled in amicable fashion”, he told a questioner.

To a question, he expressed the confidence that session of the NWFP Assembly is most likely to be convened a day later of the National Assembly’s meeting.

When contacted President of PPPP NWFP Rahimdad Khan said, his party would consult the Co-Chariman Asif Ali Zardari about the decision taken in the meeting today. He said since he was parliamentary leader of his party therefore, he would occupy the slot of Senior Minister in the cabinet. “We will take all forces into confidence in the formation of the government”, he added.

app

 

[mujahideen]

PML-N indecisive on Punjab CM

Our Staff Reporter

LAHORE-PML-N has not yet decided the name of interim Chief Minister of Punjab nor has short-listed the names in this regard, The Nation learnt here on Tuesday.
Well-placed sources in PML-N informed that party leadership had not started even the deliberation process on this account.
The interim CM would keep rendering his services until PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, party Parliamentary leader in Punjab, got elected in by-election, the sources said.
It is learnt that since the name is yet to be finalised, a number of rumours suggesting the names of would be interim Punjab CM are circulating in different circles.
Monitoring Desk adds: Two names are under consideration by the Pakistan Muslim League (N) leadership for the office of chief minister of Punjab for an interim period, reported a private TV channel quoting its sources on Wednesday.
The PML (N) is considering the names of Rana Iqbal and Hassam Khosa to hold the top provincial office temporarily till Shahbaz Sharif wins by-polls for the seat of Punjab Assembly.
The name of Rana Sanaullah was also being mulled over but he is not a powerful contender for the top slot, sources added.

The Nation

 

[mujahideen]

PPP-'N' talks deadlocked

NAVEED BUTT

ISLAMABAD - The negotiations between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) have suffered a deadlock over the formation of government in the centre, reliable sources told TheNation on Wednesday.
According to the sources, no positive development could be made during the ongoing negotiations due to the PML-N’s denial to join the federal cabinet. The sources said that the PPP leaders are of the view that as the country is facing many crises, both the parties should accept equal responsibilities to resolve these crises.
Most of the PPP leaders, the sources view that the PML-N could launch long march for the restoration of deposed judges after the formation of government in Punjab. The PPP leaders said that the PML-N has in any case become part of central government.
“The PPP made it clear to the PML-N that if it did not participate in the central government then the parties will propose to the other party of Balochistan or the NWFP to form federal government. Without the participation of PML-N, the PPP would not form government in centre,” the sources said.
The sources also said that as many as ten meetings have been held between the PPP and PML-N leaderships but no positive developments have been made for the formation of government in centre.
A PPP leader told The Nation on condition of anonymity that the party made it clear to the PML-N that the benefit would go to President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf if it did not become part of the federal government.
The sources said that the opposition could be divided if the leaderships of the PPP and PNL-N did not resolve these issue amicably.
According to the sources the PPP Senior Vice Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim has been nominated for the Prime Minister and its announcement would be made within one or tow days.
However, PPP Spokesman Farthullah Babr told TheNation that the negations between the PPP and PML-N are in progress. He said that all the modalities would soon be settled between the PPP and PML-N.

The Nation

 

[mujahideen]

58 independents join political parties

Seven MPAs-elect join PPPP, four PML-N

ISLAMABAD: Fifty-eight independent members-elect for the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies had joined different political parties by Tuesday evening, the deadline set by the election commission for them to join any party.

According to the election commission, 11 MNAs-elect and 32 MPAs-elect from the Punjab, 13 MPAs-elect from the NWFP and two MPAs-elect from Balochistan have joined political parties. Out of the total 11 MNAs-elect who have joined any political party so far, seven have joined the Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) and four the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N).

Among those who have joined the PPPP, five MNAs-elect are from the Punjab and one each from the NWFP and Balochistan while all the four MNAs-elect, who have joined the PML-N, are from the Punjab.

The election commission, in its statement about the MNAs-elect joining any political party, has only mentioned the numbers of the constituencies and no names or parties of their choice have been mentioned.

However, it can be easily assessed by going through the election results of these constituencies and interaction with sources in different political parties who had decided to stand by whom.

MNAs-elect Mehboobullah (NA-23), Nawabzada Malik Amad Khan (NA-71), Rana Farooq Saeed Khan (NA-79), Chaudhry Muhammad Tariq Anis (NA-116), Sajjadul Hasan (NA-144), Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani (NA-189) and Mir Humayun Aziz Kurd (NA-267) have joined the PPPP.

As the PPPP earlier had 85 NA seats in its account as per the party position shown by the election commission, the addition of these seven seats would take the total to 92. Similarly, those who have joined the PML-N include Humair Hayat Rokhri (NA-72), Abdul Majid Khan Khanankhel (NA-73), Rashid Akbar Khan (NA-74) and Haji Mudassar Qayyum Nahra (NA-100).

With these members joining the PML-N, the figure of this party in the National Assembly reaches 70. The figures show that these two major future coalition partners have 162 seats in the National Assembly against the Pakistan Muslim League's just 39 seats.

According to the election commission statistics, out of the total 29 independent MNAs-elect, 11 had so far joined the political parties. Out of the remaining 18 MNAs-elect, 12 are from Fata and six from other constituencies. The Fata MNAs-elect, as they are not covered by the political parties act, can support any party as independents but cannot formally join any party.

Moreover, there are still six MNAs-elect who have to stay independent or support some party as the time for them to join any party is over now. Seeing the situation in the Punjab Assembly, after 27 MPAs-elect have joined the PML-N, the number of total seats to their credit rises to 131 instead of earlier 104 seats. As the election commission shows their earlier seats figure in the general contest at 104, adding up these 27 to the previous total takes it to 131.

In Punjab, five independents have joined the PPPP, bringing the party's total seats tally to 85 instead of the previous figure of 80 seats. Pakistan Muslim League has 68 seats in the Punjab Assembly and 34 had got elected as independent candidates out of whom 32 have now joined the parties.

With regard to the situation in the NWFP, five MPAs-elect have joined the Awami National Party, six have joined the PPPP and two PML-N, the total number of each party in the provincial assembly reaches 34, 23 and 7 seats respectively.

With the election commission yet to decide on the allocation of reserved seats for women and minorities, it can take a day or so further to know the actual party position of all the political parties in the National Assembly as well as the provincial assemblies. Out of 70 reserved seats, 60 are for women and 10 for non-Muslims.

However, the present situation shows that if only the PPPP, PML-N and ANP are going to form the government at the Centre, they enjoy the support of 172 members, the exact two-thirds majority of the 258 results officially notified so far. For having an overall two-thirds majority, any party or the coalition will have to have 228 seats to their account.

As the house has a total 342 seats, the final calculation about two-thirds majority can only be made after the decision on the pending results, polling in constituencies where election was postponed or terminated and the allocation of reserved seats.

Although, it is too early to calculate the allocation of reserved seats, one can apply a simple formula of multiplying the total seats any party has in its account so far with the reserved seats and then divide by the total (342) NA seats.

58 independents join political parties

 

[mujahideen]

PPP, PML-N ‘poles apart’ on judges issue




By Ashraf Mumtaz

LAHORE, March 5: The PPP and the PML-N remain “poles apart” on the issue of reinstatement of the deposed judges of superior courts and ties with President Pervez Musharraf, notwithstanding their resolve to form a coalition, with the Awami National Party as their third partner.

“We are poles apart. The PML-N just wants that all existing judges should be sent home and those deposed on Nov 3 should be reinstated,” said a PPP leader who attended talks between the two sides.

Sources close to Mian Nawaz Sharif and privy to the discussions held by the two sides on Tuesday night said that the PPP team had asked the PML-N to soften its stand on the question of judges and not to make it priority item on its agenda.

“Nothing is common (between the two sides) and nothing is likely to be common,” said the source, indicating that the two sides would continue their deliberations in an attempt to find some common ground for cooperation.

PPP leader Asif Zardari and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif are expected to meet in Islamabad on Friday to discuss matters concerning formation of the government.

The PML-N sources said their party could not afford to change its stance on the deposed judges and President Musharraf.

A PPP leader said that President Musharraf was under no obligation to seek a confidence vote from the new parliament. “There is no such provision in the Constitution. However, if he wants to show his following in the new house there is no harm in taking such an initiative,” the leader said, adding that the PPP was not calling on the president to prove that he enjoyed majority’s support.

“Let the new system take off. We want all matters in accordance with the Constitution. If the president stays non-partisan and doesn’t convert the Presidency into a hub of political conspiracies, we will have no problem working with him.”

Some reports say that the PML-N wants Musharraf to either step down or take confidence vote from the new assemblies.

The PML-Q has not lost hope that it would be able to form a government with the PPP because of the latter’s differences with the PML-N.

PML-Q sources say that knowing well that they were hated by the PPP the Chaudhrys have given Hamid Nasir Chattha a mandate to try to persuade the PPP leaders to agree to forming a coalition with them.

Mr Chattha had been close to Benazir Bhutto when the PPP and the then PML-Junejo were coalition partners during 1993-96.

One source said that Chaudhry Shujaat Husain may step down as party chief to pave the way for Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, the PML-Q’s new parliamentary party leader in the National assembly. Once he quits, some other office-bearers may also follow suit.

PPP, PML-N ‘poles apart’ on judges issue -DAWN - Top Stories; March 06, 2008

 

[mujahideen]

MMA refuses to support PPP in Balochistan

* BNP-A assures MMA of its support for Balochistan setup

By Azaz Syed

ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) has refused to support the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) nominee for the office of Balochistan chief minister, sources told Daily Times on Thursday.

The MMA emerged as the second largest grouping in the Balochistan Assembly after the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) in the February 18 polls. The religious alliance has eight seats; the PML-Q 21 seats; the PPP eight seats; and the Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A) six seats in the provincial assembly.

The sources said that the PPP’s Syed Khursheed Shah met Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maulana Muhammad Khan Shirani of the MMA on Wednesday night at Parliament Lodges and sought their support for Aslam Raisani for the office of Balochistan CM.

The MMA leaders declined Shah’s request and asked him to explore “other” options for any bilateral cooperation in the province, the sources said, adding that the MMA was in contact with the PML-Q and the BNP-A to form a coalition government in Balochistan.

Daily Times has also learned that former PML-Q senator Ayaz Mandokhel has contacted the MMA leadership to seek its support for Sheikh Jaffer Khan Mandokhel, another hopeful for the top provincial office.

Most PML-Q MPAs-elect, including former Balochistan CM Jam Muhammad Yousaf who is again eying the slot, have strongly opposed Mandokhel for the office.

Former SAFRON minister Yar Muhammad Rind is another hopeful for the CM slot.

Support: Meanwhile, BNP-A Senator Mir Israrullah met Shirani in Islamabad on Thursday and assured him of his party’s support for the MMA in Balochistan.

Shirani confirmed his meeting with PML-Q leaders. He said he had asked them to first resolve their differences on the CM nominee and then come to him. He said the BNP-A wanted to join hands with the MMA to form government in Balochistan.

He said the MMA was “closely” observing the situation in Balochistan and would make a decision in due course.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[mujahideen]

‘PPP rejected offer to form govt in Punjab with PML-Q’

* Qureshi says senior govt figure offered him the post of Punjab CM

Daily Times Monitor

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Thursday that a senior government figure had offered him the post of Punjab chief minister with the support of the former ruling party, but he rejected the offer because the PPP didn’t want to disrespect the mandate given to former premier Nawaz Sharif’s party in Punjab.

Speaking on Geo Television’s programme Capital Talk, Qureshi said he was a witness to the fact that some forces didn’t want the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to form a government in Punjab as a “high profile” government figure telephoned him, and offered him the post of Punjab chief minister with the PML-Quaid’s support.

He said his party had rejected that offer because the PPP had decided to respect the people’s mandate, and that it was the right of PML-N to head the government in the country’s largest province. “The PPP does not give a damn about the politics of horse-trading,” he added.

PML-Q National Assembly member-elect Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain also seconded Qureshi, and said the PML-Q parliamentary leader in Punjab, Hamid Nasir Chattha, was holding talks with PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to convince him to form a government with the PML-Q in Punjab.

He said that naturally his party wouldn’t want to see the PML-N forming a government in the province. He said it was their political right to take every measure to stop the PML-N from making a government in Punjab. He said the PML-Q was ready to offer anything to the PPP to this end.

PML-N leader Ch Nisar Ali Khan said his party had substantial evidence that President Pervez Musharraf was “hatching conspiracies” against the alliance between the PPP and PML-N, especially in Punjab.

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan