Efforts at forming coalition: major winners of polls gather in Islamabad today

The major winners of last week's parliamentary polls will gather here on Wednesday for the first tripartite contact since elections to boost efforts aimed at forming coalition governments at the Centre and in provinces.
Heads and federal legislatures-elect from these parties will meet at a luncheon being hosted by Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari. Nawaz Sharif and Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, leading the group that had done well in the Centre and in NWFP, would hold talks with Zardari.
The troika is likely to discuss what should provide basis for their co-operation in the incoming parliaments and how they can remove if there are any differences. After separate meetings with Zardari, Nawaz and Asfandyar appeared upbeat about the formation of their joint governments.
But modalities for such co-operation are still to be firmed up. "They (leaders) will surely be discussing the same," a close associate of Nawaz told Business Recorder from Lahore over telephone. Party's former media wizard Siddiqui Farooque said the PML-N new members of National Assembly and also senators would meet Nawaz prior to his talks with the duo.
PPP spokesperson Farhatullah Babar told this scribe, also over the phone, that there was no specific agenda for the meeting but added that the three leaders would sit across a separate table for them.
"Surely, they will talk to each other separately and also together with their associates," he said. ANP information secretary Zahid Khan also confirmed Asfandyar would travel to Islamabad for the meeting.
A parliamentary board for the party on Monday endorsed an initiative by him to form a coalition government with two largest parties. Experts believe that issues like whether and when a push should be launched to oust President Pervez Musharraf may haunt them in the process of forming the governments. Nawaz is in favour of sending the President home immediately. Also the restoration of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry is another item that can divide Zardari and Nawaz.
Asfandyar is likely to remain non-aligned if there is a rift between bigger 'giants' because of the party's focus more intense on regional issues like changing the name of the province and blocking the construction of controversial Kalabagh dam. But there is an overwhelming sense of confidence among masses that these politicians would this time around not betray a public mandate in favour of stable democracy and independent judiciary.