The Pakistani Spectator

Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman Asif Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz leader Nawaz Sharif seem to be very close each other, but on both sides there are some elements are making things difficult. Some are doing on the cue of establishment and some are doing it to gain personal edges.

The major differences on the issue of reinstatement of deposed judges and the future of President Pervez Musharraf are what is making the formulation of next government difficult and that is why the delay is on the PPP side, because Zardari wants such a Prime Minister who would take both PPP and PML-N along, though Makhdoom Amin Fahim is not in the favour of it.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim group in the People’s Party, which comprises of Senator Baber Awan, Farooq H. Naik, Latif Khosa,  and some others are not in the favour of PPP going with PML-N, and they are in the favour of keeping Musharraf at top while adjusting with PML-Q and JUI-F.

Whereas Shah Mehmood Qureshi group in the PPP is in the favour of adjustment with PML-N both in center and in Punjab but they also want that PPP must make government in Punjab too with the help of PML-Q and other  independents.

Another group in the PPP is of Chaudhary Ahmad Mukhtar, who wants to totally minus the PML-Q and Musharraf factor, and they are also in the favour of reinstatement of judiciary at once and and they want PML-N government in Punjab while PPP government in Center with tight cooperation and power sharing between the two.

This last group is more close to Asif Ali Zardari. Chaudhary Ahmad Mukhtar is Zardari’s personal favorite candidate for premiership, while Sindhi members of PPP and President Musharraf plus USA wants Makhdoom Amin Fahim. Shah Mehmood Qureshi could prove a dark house in this regard, while another candidate Yousaf Raza Gilani has now conceded for the post speaker of the national assembly.