The imposition of Governor's Rule on Punjab by President Asif Ali Zaradri was in the aftermath of hectic Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) contacts with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), sensing removal of Pakistan People's Party government in the Centre, Business Recorder learnt on Saturday.
The sources said that former chief minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif's twice meeting with his worst political rival MQM's nominated Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan and his parleys with Chaudhry Shuja'at Hussain and Pervaiz Ellahi of PML-Q, prompted PPP leadership to take this step in haste.
The PPP sources claimed that during President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to China, a high ranking intelligence official told him that Mian Nawaz Sharif had stepped up efforts to mend fences with PML-Q and MQM to stabilise their government in Punjab and make the ruling party feel their presence in the Centre.
As far as the number game is concerned, the PML-N, PML-Q and MQM collectively enjoy the support of about 170 members in National Assembly, while 172 members are needed for forming the government in the Center.
After merger of the three parties (PML-N, PML-Q and MQM) and getting of 12 Fata members and some of the independent members, the PML-N could be in a comfortable position to call the shot, they opined. They further revealed that the PPP smelled a rat when Sharif brothers went to Gujrat to condole the death of Shuja'at Hussain's mother and Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan held meeting with Mian Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore on February 20 and 24, respectively.
A senior PPP leader claimed that when Sharif brothers vowed to support lawyers' movement despite being part of the ruling elite, there was no option left with President Zardari, except to disqualify Sharif brothers through the Supreme Court and imposing Governor's Rule on Punjab.
Chaudhry Shuja'at Hussain is keen to make a coalition with the PML-N, while Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi wants to bury differences with the PPP not to stay out of power for long. He was afraid that in case of going with the PML-N, the identity of his party would be at stake, the sources added.
Although President Zaradri had called Nawaz Sharif his brother, he had not forgotten the brutalities, which he faced due to the cases, registered against him by Nawaz Sharif - nine-year imprisonment, attempt to kill him in Karachi prison and scores of other tortures, they added.
It is worth mentioning that the PPP has only one option - to form government in Punjab with the help of PML-Q and also cooperate with it in the Centre. In this case, the PML-Q would seek the slot of chief minister for Monis Elahi or slot of Senate Chairmanship for Chaudhry Shuja'at Hussain, the sources opined.
Sources were of the view that the PPP might not accept both the options, as by appointing its own chief minister in Punjab, it wants to establish the strong hold in the province. "It is also a difficult rather impossible move to hand over the Senate chairmanship to Shuja'at as in the absence of the president, Senate chairman performs as acting president and it is premature to assess the level of trust after haunting each other for such a long time, sources added.
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