LAHORE – The PML-N has a long agenda in hand to deal with after Eidul Fitr when the party head Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will also be back from Saudi Arabia to spearhead the action.
The most significant of the items in hand of the party leadership is the national commission appointed by Speaker National Assembly for the formation of more provinces in Punjab, early elections, unification of Muslim Leagues, grand opposition alliance, Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khosa issue, Captain (r) Safdar, PML-N contacts with other leaders to broaden the party base before the elections, and implementation of the judicial decisions. According to sources in the party, the PML-N leadership has kept the party chief abreast of the situation during his Umra visit to Saudi Arabia and he has been giving instructions to his colleagues back home.
Some of the matters already handled by the party leaders in the absence Nawaz Sharif will be given final approval on his return home while others will be discussed further.
The formation by the NA Speaker of a national commission on the new provinces and rejection of the same by the Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has given birth to a new situation for the party as it does not want new provinces only carved out in Punjab leaving out Fata and Hazara. The ouster of the PML-N from the commission has necessitated its reconstitution besides making bleak the chances of getting representation from the Punjab, where the PML-N rules, the sources say, adding the party is going to move against the Federal Government pleading that division of Punjab is only a political ploy in a situation when it was beset with assorted challenges particularly from the judiciary. The issue of more provinces only in Punjab, the party believes, is to further the confusion and fan unrest after PPP leaders are already indulged in showing undignified attitude towards the judiciary ahead of August 27. The final line of action will be decided by the party head.
The other PML-N demand for elections by November-December, sources say, is making some headway on the part of the ruling coalition government as after refusal by Ch Nisar to talk to Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on caretaker setup and his stress on dissolution of the assemblies before that showing distrust on the PPP in view of its past record, has made the PPP to rethink its stance. Sources say that PPP may offer a specific month/date for the elections to N-League in the next round after Eid, however short of dissolving the assemblies.
Nevertheless the possibility from the judicial decision on NRO case to ‘seek fresh mandate’ still exists. The party sources say that PML-N leaders are cautious of PPP caretaker government offer as the ruling party tends to make such offers as a means to convey to the judiciary that it was going to hold elections and when the tide is over it changes its course.
The party also has to take the Muslim Leagues unification after Eid about which the party Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq and PML-F head Pir of Pagaro Sharif have held a meeting in the recent past. Nawaz Sharif has been apprised of the outcome of the meeting and is due to meet Pir Pagaro in Raiwind after Eid to push ahead the process. Sources say that after PML-N unification may not be so broad as it has drawn a line for PML-Q, whose members on their own, are reportedly, in touch with the PML-N. Sources say that electoral alliance is possible with PML-F while negotiations with JI and JUI-F for Punjab and Khyber PK were also on.
As to Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa issue, sources say that progress has been made in this regard as the party head wants to keep the Sardar within the party ranks, while a faction in the party is quite annoyed with the conduct of his son, Dost Muhammad Khosa. This has put the Sardar somewhat in an embarrassing position as such his retention and ouster of son in the party.
Another issue is of Capt Safdar’s alleged insolent conduct towards the party leaders in Khyber PK, for which his basic membership stands suspended, is likely to be resolved to amicably on the return of Nawaz Sharif as his son-in-law has expressed regrets and sorry if his remarks had hurt the feelings of party leaders of that province.