ISLAMABAD - In a major development, high-level contacts between the PML-N and PPPP have been established so as to evolve a joint strategy, remaining part of the Parliament, against alleged rigging in the general elections.
Sources privy to the development said that Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood met with PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore and delivered him a message of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian President Asif Ali Zardari.
In the light of the back-channel contact, a meeting between the two sides would be held in the next few days where both the sides along with their teams would discuss the future political course and agitation plan against the “massive rigging” in these elections, the sources said.
They added the PPPP had already decided not to stay away from the Parliament as suggested by the Multi-Party Conference held in Islamabad on Friday. In the meeting, MMA chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other participants came up with the proposal that their parliamentarians should not take oath of their offices to exert pressure on the PTI to go for re-elections. However, Shehbaz Sharif had sought time for consultation with the party leadership on the issue.
On the other hand, after the central leaders’ meeting in Karachi, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari though rejected the elections results rejected the option of not becoming part of the Parliament as proposed by the other political parties having same grievances about the elections.
In the backdrop, Asif Zardari sent Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood to the PML-N president to convince him to become part of the Parliament and make a plan for joint protest against the PTI in the Parliament, sources in the PPP confirmed.
Sources in the PML-N said that majority of the senior PML-N leaders were in favour of joining the Parliament under protest and they would evolve a joint strategy against the upcoming government on what they termed the massively rigged elections.
They further said that in the likely meeting between the two sides both sides a joint protest strategy and future course of action would be made against the upcoming PTI government.
The sources in PPP confirmed that also former opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah had made telephonic contact with Shehbaz Sharif and discussed hosts of issues and shared his party’s stance of becoming part of the Parliament.
Meanwhile, they added, Shehbaz Sharif informed him about the deliberations of the Multi-Party Conference he co-chaired with Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad. Shehbaz also shared their protest plan for which a committee consisting of the leaders of all the parties would meet soon.
They further said that the party had already rejected the MMA proposal to rope in independents and smaller groups to form government at the Centre. They said that Khursheed Shah would also have a word on it with Shehbaz Sharif as well.
Political analysts said that in case the PPP and PML-N come close and join hands against the upcoming PTI government, they would make things extremely difficult for PTI.
BILAWAL FORMS COMMITTEE TO ENGAGE PARTIES
Staff Reporter from Karachi adds: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday formed a committee comprising top PPP leaders to engage political parties, hold talks and adopt a way forward.
The committee will comprise former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, former National Assembly opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah, Opposition Leader in Senate Senator Sherry Rehman, Farhatullah Babar, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Syed Naveed Qamar.
The decision was taken after the policy statement from PPP chairman to enter into the parliamentary politics despite having serious reservations over the election results and rejecting the polls outcome.
Bilawal on Friday had rejected the entire election process of general elections, but said his party would not only become part of the parliamentary process but also invite other parties to participate in it.
According to sources, the PPP members would reach out to the political leadership of PML-N, MMA, MQM-Pakistan, ANP and other parties in the country and pursue them to open a joint front against the PTI in the parliament rather than staying away from it.
“If the parties having reservations on the election process unite then the opposition parties would be in great numbers in the assembly and could effectively tackle PTI in the house rather than giving them a free hand in case of staying away from electoral politics,” said PPP leader on condition of anonymity.
“We will further devise strategy with other parties over the future course of time regarding the protest movement against the election rigging,” said a PPP leader.
PPP makes contact with PML-N