ISLAMABAD: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has favoured the immediate organisation of general elections in the country, whereas, its major coalition partner, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has some different priorities as it insisted on electoral and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reforms first.
The coalition partners have different opinions on the next strategy for ending the political crisis in the country as PML-N showed an inclination toward general elections before November while PPP asked for bringing electoral reforms and amendments to the NAB laws.
Yesterday, Khawaja Asif told BBC Urdu that the general elections could be held before November or a caretaker government will be established in the country. His statement hinted at the PML-N government’s plan to go for early elections instead of further delaying the process.
PML-N govt realises mistake after filing contempt of religion cases
However, Asif also emphasised that free and fair polls are not possible without bringing elections reforms and the government will not leave the reforms process incomplete.
The PML-N central leaders are currently present in London to finalise strategy following the approval of the supremo Nawaz Sharif.
When PML-N leaders reached London, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari conducted a press conference and demanded electoral reforms before going into fresh elections. He also demanded to bring reforms in the NAB laws.
The PPP gave an impression that it is not favouring showing hastiness to organise fresh polls which is contrary to the PML-N’s strategy, analysts said, adding that the delay in fresh polls will definitely benefit Zardari and his political party.
They detailed that PPP manages to get the best ministries from the PML-N government including the foreign ministry for his son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Through the ministry, PPP is busy strengthening its relations with powerful states like the United States, Britain, Germany and others.
PTI footsteps: PML-N govt fails to bring governance, policy changes
“PPP has also gotten climate change ministry which was assumed by Sherry Rahman. The important ministry is the current focus of states globally while the ministry has the highest source of foreign funding. Moreover, PPP also received the poverty alleviation ministry related to the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) that will help the political party to access and activate its voters.”
On the other hand, PML-N picked such ministries which have difficult tasks including the water and power ministry, finance, petroleum and others. The analysts thought that PML-N has apparently been trapped by the PPP as it is bound to follow the coalition partner’s orders. They added that PML-N should remember that if a person shrunk his political party to a province in his tenure from 2008 to 2013 then what he will do directly to the presently ruling party.
Fuel prices unchanged: PML-N govt proves Imran Khan’s decision correct
London meeting’s indecisive
In a statement, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said yesterday that during the meeting various options were discussed for taking decisive action against the transgressors of the constitution.
She said that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif was briefed on the serious constitutional, economic and administrative issues inherited by the current government from the previous one. Aurangzeb added that another meeting would be held today to take final decisions to steer the country out of these challenges.
It showed that the PML-N’s London meeting yesterday remained inconclusive as the information minister said that all decisions would be announced with the endorsement of all the coalition parties.