News
Sunday, April 24, 2011
PPP desperate to bring possible coalition partners under wings
By Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: As the number game has the final say for passing a legislation in the National Assembly, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led federal government, in the absence of the required numerical strength, is desperately trying to bring coalition partners under its wings.
With the national budget just one month away, and the parliamentary strength of the PPP and its allies short of the required votes to pass the money bill, the other players in the Lower House of parliament have their own priorities before lending a helping hand to the government to function smoothly in the House when the budget is presented.
The main opposition party in the National Assembly, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) appears to be in no mood to favour the government to pass the key bill, the other parliamentary groups are also keeping it a secret, as to which side they would favour when the finance bill is presented. The party-wise position in the National Assembly indicates that the ruling PPP with 127 seats is far behind to pass the bill single-handedly and would require the support of its allies in the House.
However, despite having support of its allies, the party will still fall short of mustering the required strength. Its allies, the Awami National Party (ANP) has 13 members in the House, followed by the PML-Functional with 5 members, while the Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A) and the National People’s Party (NPP) each have one member in the House.
If the figures were put together, the total strength would come to 147, which would be short of the required 172 members in the House. This substantial gap, though be filled by 19 independent MNAs elected from FATA, would not serve the purpose, as total strength by bundling all these votes would stand at 166, which would still be short by six votes to pass the bill. By leaving aside main opposition party, PML-N, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) would be the ultimate target of the PPP government to pass the important finance bill.
Despite the hectic efforts and behind-the-door meetings to evolve a power-sharing alliance between the PPP and PML-Q, nothing has transpired clearly.
A main leader of the PML-Q, though not explicit in her comments to share any development between the two parties, in a remark, said that passing of the budget had never been a matter of concern for any government.
“It has been passed in the past and I do not see any problem for the present government to pass the finance bill,” she said in her brief comments.
On the other hand, a source in the JUI-F admitted that government was still wooing his party to come back in the cabinet but it was sticking to its stance to not join the cabinet.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk