Another factor that has forced the PPP leadership to look towards the PML-Q, according to PPP sources, is the ‘unreliability’ of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) which “is going to unreasonable lengths only for political gains in Sindh”.
The reason for the PML-Q — the third largest parliamentary group in the National Assembly with 50 MNAs — to give a serious consideration to the PPP offer despite stiff resistance within the party also appears to be the numbers game in the upper house of parliament where the party will be the biggest loser in next year’s elections when its 20 senators will retire.
The PML-Q, a source in the party said, had been assured by the PPP leadership during behind-the-scene meetings that the two parties could have seat adjustments for the Senate elections due in March, if the Chaudhrys decided to join the federal government.
Some political observers are of the view that the coming Senate elections are also the main factor behind PML-N’s demand for mid-term elections as the party does not want to see the PPP becoming the largest group in the house that could hamper its future plans. They foresee hectic political activities and new political alignments in the next few weeks.
A PML-Q member said on condition of anonymity that the PPP-led government was also using the corruption case against Moonis Elahi, son of former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, as a bargaining tool, but claimed that the party could not be blackmailed because the matter was already in court.
Despite the fact that never in the history has any government failed to get the budget through the National Assembly, the PPP leadership is worried this time because of the number it has in the house and its bitter experience when it failed to implement its plan to impose reformed general sales tax and flood surcharge through legislation because of a firm opposition by all other parties.
At present, the PPP-led coalition cannot afford to lose even a single vote in the National Assembly as it has 172 members on the treasury benches, which is the exact number it requires to carry out simple legislations in the 342-member house.
The PPP leaders believe that it is because of the weak government position in parliament that the 25-member MQM has constantly been putting pressure on it to accept its conditions to join the federal cabinet.
They say the unceremonious ouster of Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and the decision to ban activities of the People’s Amn Committee in Karachi purely on MQM’s pressure have put the party in an awkward position in the province and party leaders are unable to respond to those members who are opposed to the PPP-MQM alliance.
“Despite these crucial decisions by President Asif Ali Zardari the MQM is not ready to join the cabinet,” a PPP leader regretted.
The PPP, the sources said, had told the MQM that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had delayed the planned expansion of his cabinet in the hope that its Sindh-based coalition partner would rejoin the team it quit in December last year in protest against the government’s decision to increase oil prices.
On the other hand, the MQM blames the PPP for a lack of progress in resolving the issues despite highest-level contacts between the two parties and believes that the reasons which led it to leave ministries are still there.
The MQM is particularly concerned about the law and order situation in Karachi, complaining of “selective target killings” of its workers, and also about the government’s decision to introduce what it calls a ‘mini-budget’ in the shape of recent presidential ordinances imposing new taxes.
After getting a cold shoulder from both the MQM and the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Fazl), the sources said, the PPP leadership had now started considering the option of expanding the cabinet without waiting for the response from its estranged coalition partner.
Former opposition leader in the Senate and PML-Q leader Kamil Ali Agha told Dawn that his party had received the offer to join the federal government some six months ago and it had since been in contact with the PPP.
Mr Agha denied reports that the PML-Q had demanded the posts of deputy prime minister, Punjab governor and eight ministries from the PPP, saying the party already had those offers. He, however, said the PML-Q had given a national agenda to the PPP, asking it to invite all political parties, including the opposition PML-N, to form a national government.
He said his party had reports that the PPP was now giving a serious consideration to its proposal and that it had already contacted other parties on the matter.
Meanwhile, a key PML-Q office-bearer said hectic discussions were on within the party over the PPP’s offer. He said an overwhelming majority of PML-Q lawmakers was against joining the government.
“It is an open secret that party leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi are more than willing to join the government, but they are facing stiff resistance within the party,” he said.
However, he said, to further mull over the option, the leadership had convened a meeting of the party’s central working committee on April 25.
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