The PPP and PML-N have come closer in narrowing their differences in Punjab as the latter has demanded the appointment of non-controversial person as governor of PML-N-ruled central province, sources told Business Recorder Friday. However, insiders in PPP are of the view that no decision had been taken to replace Salman Taseer, the Punjab governor who was appointed by former President Pervez Musharraf.
They said that the president and the prime minister would do their utmost to improve the working relationship between the chief minister and the governor in Punjab, which would help the provincial government serve people in a better way. A senior PML-N leader said that the party received some encouraging signals where it has been indicated that PPP is ready to implement the charter of democracy (CoD) signed by PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif and former PPP chairperson Shaheed Benazir Bhutto.
These issues were discussed in a meeting of Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif with President Asif Ali Zardari at President House on Friday. According to PML-N sources, the meeting was held on the invitation of the president.
The meeting is being considered as the last attempt of PML-N to patch up with PPP in the central province. Most of the disputes are relating to Governor House. There are some speculations that PML-N has informed the president that it was ready to accept the new appointee of the PPP with the condition that he or she must be non-controversial.
Some PPP leaders including minister for parliamentary affairs Babar Awan have already held a detailed meeting with Nawaz Sharif in Raiwind. Some political circles are of the view that the two parties reached a broad-based understanding on most of the controversial issues during Raiwind meeting.
If the PPP really agreed to act in accordance with CoD, this could be a win-win situation for PML-N. In that case the central government would have to appoint the Punjab governor from PML-N. However, a PML-N leader said that the party would not make an issue out of it.
If PPP agrees to replace Salman Taseer, we will accept the new nominee from PPP. The only condition we are putting is that the new governor must be a non-controversial. This is a must for Punjab coalition government, which could smoothly continue its functions, said a PML-N leader.
The president has also informed Punjab chief minister that the bill to abolish controversial clauses in the 17th Amendment will jointly be presented in the parliament. Zardari said the government wants to take all the political forces on board for the supreme interest of the country. Pakistan is facing multi-faceted challenges on political and economic fronts and the political parties both in ruling coalition and opposition need to strengthen democracy.