By Aroonim Bhuyan, IANS,
Dubai : Leaders of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were holding talks here with party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari ahead of a crucial meeting in London on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (PML)-N rejoining the cabinet.
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who arrived here Wednesday, and other cabinet colleagues discussed with Zardari the current political situation in the country, and the future of the coalition, after Sharif’s party had quit the cabinet two months back over the issue of reinstatement of judges.
“The PPP leaders discussed the current political situation in Pakistan and the future of the government even as the government completed 100 days sometime last week,” PPP president for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Mohammad Akram Farooq told IANS here Thursday.
“The prime minister also assured party workers here that he will do everything possible to solve all issues faced by the party and the government in Pakistan,” he added
According to Farooq, the PPP leaders also discussed a possible cabinet expansion.
Asked whether PPP wanted PML-N to rejoin the cabinet, he said, “Of course! PPP wants a strong coalition and not a weak coalition.”
Zardari, it was learnt, will leave for London later this month where he will discuss with Sharif the issue of PML-N returning to the cabinet.
Members of Sharif’s party withdrew from the cabinet in May after the government missed two deadlines to restore the judges sacked during the emergency imposed by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf last November.
The two parties also differ on the issue of Musharraf’s ouster.
It is expected that the two leaders will try to resolve their differences during their meeting in London.
Apart from Gilani, who arrived here after attending the annual summit of the Development-8 (D-8) countries in Malaysia, other PPP leaders who came to Dubai are Minister for Information Sherry Rahman, Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah and Minister for Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira.
While Gilani left for Pakistan Thursday afternoon, the other leaders continued the discussions with Zardari.
Zardari came to Dubai last week to be with his family.