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Poll deal could make Imran Khan PM
BY:AMANDA HODGE, SOUTH ASIA CORRESPONDENT From: The Australian April 30, 2013 12:00AM
IMRAN Khan appeared to inch closer to realising his prime ministerial aspirations yesterday when a senior leader of the former governing Pakistan People's Party said it would be willing to cede the head of cabinet to the cricketing legend in a coalition government.
In what is being interpreted as the first step in the inevitable political horse-trading after Pakistan's May 11 national elections, the PPP's Punjab president Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo made the statement in a front page interview with Pakistan's Express Tribune newspaper yesterday.
"The PPP could also offer Imran Khan the office of prime minister in the coalition government," Mr Wattoo said. "If Imran Khan plays his cards carefully he can bag more seats than the PML (N) (Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz) in the centre," he said, referring to the main opposition party, which relies on central Punjab province for its greatest support.
"If the PPP outvotes its rivals, we'll invite (Khan's) PTI (Tehrik-e-Insaaf Pakistan) to form a coalition government."The comments were intended to indicate that the party of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, which has led the first democratically elected government to complete its full term in office, was agnostic about potential coalition partners.The PPP's greatest concern is said to be ensuring the re-election as president this December of its party leader Asif Ali Zardari.
Its offer of the prime ministership would almost certainly be conditional on support for that bid, which is essential if Mr Zardari is to continue to evade prosecution over a string of corruption charges. Many have predicted the result of next month's election will be so close as to cause a hung parliament, forcing parties to form a coalition government.But the PPP's outreach could cause the politically ambitious Mr Khan as much damage as encouragement, given voter distaste for Mr Zardari.
Certainly that was the impression given by his Information Secretary Shireen Mazari who responded to questions from The Australian by accusing the PPP of "trying to discredit" Mr Khan's party. "PTI has made it categorically clear over and over again that it will never form a coalition with these corrupt tried and failed family enterprise parties," she said, adding that PTI would sweep to victory. "If by chance the unexpected happens PTI would sit and be a strong opposition rather than forming a coalition with these corrupt and failed parties."
The PPP has conducted a low-key campaign, in part because of attacks by Taliban militants who have declared an election jihad against the party and its former coalition government partners, the Muttahida Quami Movement and Awami National Party.Those three parties were expected to announce a joint strategy yesterday to counter the attacks, which have caused more than two dozen deaths in recent weeks.
By contrast Mr Khan has been drawing huge crowds across Pakistan and some predict he could win more seats than both of Pakistan's traditional political rivals.But political analyst and commentator Sohail Warraich told The Australian yesterday that would happen only if voter turnout surpassed 50 per cent - about 10 per cent higher than traditional participation.
"I have heard that the PPP is thinking to offer Imran Khan the prime minister's job if he gets enough seats, but that's a big 'if'," Mr Warraich said yesterday.While Mr Khan has high youth appeal, it is with right-wing voters that he is expected to have the greatest success with anti-American message.
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They are working together...PMLN ho ya PPP...their goal is to outflank PTI and the hope for a real change. But we do know, what Khan will do if it comes to that...he will sit in the opposition and make their lives a living hell.
