A government negotiating team led by Jahangir Tareen reached out to key coalition partners on Wednesday, including Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) for their continued support to the ruling PTI government following differences in the ruling alliance.
The team including Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar and Prime Minister's Adviser Arbab Shehzad held separate meetings with delegations of PML-Q and BAP on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
However, PML-Q and BAP are not the only coalition partners that have raised their concerns over PTI's failure to meet its pledges after seventeen months in power. What however is baffling is that all coalition partners, including Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) have expressed serious reservations at the same time; less than a week after the passage of a comprehensive legislative agenda including the Army Amendment Act.
This has raised speculation that powerful quarters in the establishment may be sending a message to the PTI that it must get its house in order against the backdrop of massive inflation and continuing governance issues.
Talking to reporters at Punjab House after meeting with a delegation from PML-Q, Tareen said that they discussed reservations put forward by the PML-Q delegation in detail. He said that the PML-Q was given an assurance that all their concerns will be addressed. To a question, he insisted that the government is not in any difficulty, adding that all the concerns of the coalition partners will be addressed. He said that the MQM-P has only announced it is quitting the federal cabinet, not as a coalition partner.
Pervez Khattak said that they held discussions on 'misunderstandings' created by some 'elements'. "PML-Q is a coalition partner and it will remain part of the government", he said, asserting that the government will complete its five-year term.
Speaking on the occasion, PML-Q leader and Minister for Housing Tariq Bashir Cheema said that the government has promised that the party's demands will be met soon. "We had some reservations with regard to the development works as we are facing criticism within our constituencies for lack of any uplift projects promised to our voters", he added.
Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, who was also present in the meeting, told media that the government had a written agreement with the PML-Q before joining the coalition. "The government is committed to the agreement and we will honor it. PML-Q is a trusted coalition partner and those creating misunderstandings will not succeed in their designs", he maintained.
Sources said that the PML-Q delegation also handed over a copy of the written agreement to the government team. They said that the PML-Q team reiterated their demand of a ministry to Moonis Elahi in the federal cabinet.
Earlier, the government team led by Tareen, with Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and Adviser to the Prime Minister Arbab Shehzad met with representatives from BAP. The BAP delegation comprised of Khalid Magsi, Zubaida Jalal, Ihsanullah Reiki and others. The sources said that the government side assured the BAP delegation that their reservations would be addressed and the Prime Minister will himself visit Balochistan soon to announce development package for the province. They said that the BAP delegation reiterated the demand of getting a ministry in the federal cabinet and the government side assured them that all their demands will be met.
A senior PTI leader told Business Recorder on condition of anonymity that after the eruption of these latest differences, Prime Minister Imran Khan tasked senior party leader Jahangir Tareen together with other senior leaders including Defence Minister Pervez Khattak to reach out to the disenchanted coalition partners to address their reservations. "We understand that support of all the coalition partners is very critical not only in the center but also in Punjab, as quitting of any coalition partner at this stage would compromise the government," he acknowledged.
In the 342-member National Assembly, the PTI has 156 members and together with its coalition partners, MQM-P 7, BNP-Mengal 5, PML-Q 5, BAP 5, GDA 3 and AML 1, its current strength is 182; a thin lead of only 10 members against 172, required for a simple majority in the lower House.
In the 371-member Punjab assembly, the PTI coalition is leading the house with 191 members; PTI 181 and PML-Q 10, a lead of only 5 members against 185 required for a simple majority. This, according to the PTI leader, is a serious source of concern for the party leadership, as the opposition parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), with 165 and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) 7 make 172. There are also four independents and one member of the Pakistan Rah-e-Haq party who can change sides at a moment's notice, the sources added.
The PTI government team has also held a series of talks with MQM-P leaders on Monday and Tuesday, assuring them that the government would address their reservations to the extent possible.
Tareen is also expected to meet the leaders of BNP-Mengal with which the government also has a six-point written agreement. According to Senator Jehanzeb Jamaldini of the BNP, the party had joined the coalition after a series of talks on issues concerning the people of Balochistan. He said that the major demand of his party relates to the issue of missing persons in Balochistan, adding that it is a very important issue and the party wants some progress on it.