By IANS
Lahore : Pakistani Punjab’s Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi is making an independent bid to become the country’s prime minister after next year’s general elections, raising the hackles of incumbent Shaukat Aziz and other policymakers of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q).
The party top brass doesn’t even have the issue on its agenda. President Pervez Musharraf has also not spoken about the party candidate for the slot. On his part, Shaukat Aziz has not declared whether he wants to continue in the post.
“He has left it to the party leadership. While the entire party knows the final decree on the issue will come from President Musharraf, sources close to the PM say he has not really appreciated Elahi’s attempt,” The News reported Sunday.
Elahi has launched his campaign “at full throttle” to fulfil his “long-cherished dream of grabbing the slot of the prime minister”.
“Obsessed with his wish to outrun the Sharifs in political credentials and achievements, Pervaiz Elahi is having daydreams of repeating (former prime minister) Nawaz Sharif’s success story,” the newspaper said.
Elahi “has woken up to the political benefits of literally slapping his candidature on the face of the party top brass at this juncture when all such decisions are pending for giving priority to more pressing issues like Musharraf’s survival at the hands of the Supreme Court and adopting political countermeasures for surviving a barrage of (former prime minister Benazir) Bhutto’s strategic and tactical moves”, The News said.
Elahi’s close aides believe it is a well-calculated move to ensure that his stakes in Punjab are not compromised in the ongoing Musharraf-Bhutto honeymoon. He is also trying hard to save his domain from the after-effects of the Musharraf-Bhutto understanding so that Punjab does not become part of any political bargain between the two.
The PML-Q leadership is ignoring Elahi’s campaign, terming it “wishful thinking” on his part.
“They believe that when things will boil down to decision-making, Musharraf’s word will make all the difference. The party leadership is of the view there is no reason to field another candidate for this slot in case the PML-Q surfaces with the required statistics at the electorate,” The News said.
It also lavished praise on Shaukat Aziz.
“Aziz has delivered what he has been hired for, so far. He has been unassuming, and makes a perfect combination with Musharraf. Discussing his merits, the political hawks in the party contend Aziz has all the ingredients to challenge Bhutto with his successful handling of the country’s money matters and absolute harmony with the president.
“Moreover, it is learnt the incumbent PM is well placed to give Bhutto a tough time as far as political and diplomatic wheeling-dealing is concerned. Having close relations with the Bush family, courtesy his stint in the Citi Group, he is the only candidate who can dare Bhutto with regard to lobbying warfare in the US.
“The significance of lobbying in the US, especially with blatant Uncle Sam’s intervention in the politics of Pakistan, has multiplied over the years. Lobbying is a little-known phenomenon for (Elahi), whose politics have got more to do with local manoeuvering,” The News maintained.