"Pervaiz Elahi is fighting a rearguard..."
"Nothing about the post-Musharraf era attacks on the Chaudhrys have been rearguard. They are all frontal attacks."
"Well, the Sharifs have certainly been launching frontal attacks but I thought within the party..."
"Even within the party reports allege that Musharraf is making a frontal attack with the assistance of Nasir Chattha."
"Why would Nasir Chattha be naïve enough to think Musharraf is a saleable commodity as far as the electorate is concerned?"
"Because people don't like what the present government has been doing on the economic front. Withdrawal of subsidies, rising prices of utilities and food items are not endearing the Zardari presidency to the people, if you know what I mean. And Chattha may actually believe that Musharraf can still mobilise the army into doing what he wants any time he wants."
"Yes but that is not leading to a rise in popularity as far as Musharraf is concerned. I think the only beneficiary remains the PML (N), a party which is quietly working in the Punjab consolidating their political support."
"That's true but maybe it's a case of it's not that I love Caesar less but that I love Rome more."
"So it's not as if Chattha hates Musharraf less but it's that he hates the Chaudhrys more."
"Precisely though I don't think he hates either, I mean he would be perfectly willing to work with either if either of them returns to power; but at this point he wants to be the leader of the Lota party to be better able to negotiate with the major parties today."
"I get it and just because no one wants to form a coalition with the Chaudhrys..."
"Correct."