News
Friday, December 09, 2011
Political forces one on continuity of system* Politicians establish contacts with each other
* PML-N, MQM, ANP assure not to be part of any adventure
* Religio-political forces also go with politicians
By Raja Riaz
LAHORE: The political forces of the country are unanimous on the need for ‘continuity’ of political system and resist any ‘adventure’ by any individual or institution.
The political forces have increased their communication and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani’s telephone to PML-N chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is part of this exercise. It is not the only contact established by the PPP leadership; rather it has contacted other political forces too on the issue.
It is pertinent to mention here that rumours were circulating in the federal capital, Islamabad, that some forces are planning for winding up the elected political setup and install a Bangladesh-style system – a government of technocrats under the umbrella of powerful institutions of the state. There are speculations that the names of the ‘ministers’ and chief executive have been finalised. The conspiracy theorists have floated the idea of next setup under the judiciary, whose head could be a retired judge, if not a serving one.
The PPP is not the only force that contacted the PML-N, as the MQM also sent a message to the N-league leadership that Altaf Hussain wished to talk with Nawaz Sharif on the system’s continuity. It has been learnt reliably that the MQM men talked to PML-N persons and told them that their party believed in the continuity of the system, and Altaf Hussain himself wanted to talk with the PML-N chief. However, no contact had been established between the top-men of the two parties – PML-N and the MQM – till the filing of this report.
The Awami National Party (ANP) also believes in the need for system’s continuity and vowed to resist any move aiming at harming the democratic setup in the country. It has been learnt that the ANP-PPP contact also agreed upon survival of the parliamentary system. The ANP leaders were of the view that any system other than the existing one would create hatred among the federating units.
The information available to Daily Times reveals the details of the discussion between Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif. It was confided that the PPP and the PML-N leaders discussed the political situation in detail and agreed that the political system must continue to run, and despite several differences on different issues they would jointly struggle against those intending to derail the system.
It has been learnt that the prime minister thanked PML-N chief for his good wishes for the ailing president, Asif Ali Zardari. The conversation then turned to political scenario of the country and the prime minister told the PML-N chief the PPP government never expect that the earlier would ever be a part or shoulder effort to any force striving for de-railing the system.
Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani said that he, his party leadership and the government is in the dock for the last more than three years and facing all sort of pressure. If the system is packed the PPP would not only be the sufferer as all political forces would be out of the field.
Nawaz Sharif assured that his party would never support any move aiming at destabilsing the political system of the country and would never endorse any ‘alternate system’ that would replace parliament and elected setup through any supra-constitutional move. He, however, sought time to consult with his colleagues in the party.
The informed sources told Daily Times that religio-political forces also believe in continuity of the system and oppose any adventureism. Jamaat-i-Islami and JUI-F are among those religio-political parties that would resist any such move.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk