Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar's statement praising President Pervez Musharraf as a "saleable" commodity has set the alarm bells ringing in PML-N quarters, which is major partner in the coalition government and second largest party in the National Assembly.
PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq told Business Recorder here on Friday that his party leadership has taken a very serious notice of Mukhtar's statement and it is going to take up the matter with the PPP leadership. Talking to a private TV channel Mukhtar had described Musharraf as a "national asset", adding the government would work with him to fight against terrorism and ensure security of the country.
Farooq said Mukhtar's statement is against the Charter of Democracy and the 9th March Murree Declaration under which PML-N and PPP were committed to re-establish sovereignty of the Parliament and restore the pre-2nd November judiciary headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. He said his party considers Musharraf as an illegal and unconstitutional President, who must vacate the Aiwan-e-Sadar since a democratically elected government would never have any working relationship with him.
PML-N chief Mohammad Nawaz Sharif had a meeting with top leadership and elected-members of Parliament and Punjab Assembly at his Raiwind Farm House here on Friday to take stock of the latest political situation and review long-term prospects of the coalition governments.
Business Recorder has learnt that most of the time PML-N leadership discussed Mukhtar's latest statement, which they thought he could not make without tacit approval of the PPP leadership.
They also reviewed the political motives and consequence of PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardar's visit to Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarter, Nine Zero, and the rapprochement between the two old bitter rivals.
Later talking to newsmen PML-N Information Secretary and the Federal Education Minister Ahsan Iqbal said the PML-N leadership considers restoration of the pre-2nd November 2007 judiciary in a month as the first test of the coalition government towards implementation of the Charter of Democracy and the Murree Declaration. He said Nawaz Sharif considers that the people have voted his party for restoration, independence and protection of judiciary otherwise no judge would ever stand up against a usurper and dictator. Iqbal said PML-N has great reservations about having any kind of working relationship with Musharraf.
Meanwhile, Aiwan-e-Sadar's spokesman Major General Rashid Qureshi (Retd) has said that 80 percent members of Parliament wanted to work with President Musharraf except the PML-N. Political analysts say that the coalition government, still in infacy, has come under stress on the issue of restoration of pre-2nd November Judiciary and Musharraf's continuity as President.
They say after alliance with MQM and unanimous vote of confidence by the national assembly including PML-Q to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Zardari is no more dependent on PML-N's support and PPP could take an independent stance on terrorism, judiciary, restoration of pre-12 October 1999 Constitution and working relationship with the Aiwan-e-Sadar. They said Musharraf is all out to help PPP in such an eventuality.
Meanwhile Zardari presided over a combined meeting of Central Executive Committee and Federal Council of PPP in Larkana and told his partymen that he was committed to the restoration of Judiciary but would not accept any pressure or dictation from the legal fraternity. News channels reported that Co-chairman exchanged hot words with President Supreme Court Bar Association Aitezaz Ahsan, who is a member of the PPP CEC on the methodology of the restoration of the deposed CJP and Judges of the superior judiciary.
Aitezaz says an executive order of the government is enough to restore the deposed judges and send the PCO judges home. However, Federal Law Minister Faerooq H. Naek and some other PPP lawyers do not share Aitezaz's view and consider it a complex issue.
The majority of lawyers smell a rat as the PPP led government has still not changed Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum, Federal Law Secretary, Advocate Generals, Interior Secretary Kamal Shah, and intelligence officers who were instrumental in bringing the country to this precipice and abyss.
However PML-N is not making a hue and cry on any issue at this stage since its focus is on formation of government next week in Punjab, which inhibits 62 percent population of the country.
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