By IRNA,
Islamabad : A well-reputed columnist Irfan Siddiqui on Wednesday ruled out the possibility of alliance of ruling PPP and PML-Q regarding formation of government in Punjab province terming it as unnatural.
Talking to IRNA, he said that many party leaders of Pakistan Muslim League-Q including secretary general Mushahid Hussein are reluctant to join hands with Pakistan People’s Party in Punjab.
The political situation in the country started worsening after the Supreme Court had decided that former Prime Minister and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif were not eligible to be members of Parliament.
President Asif Ali Zardari soon after the judgment had imposed Governor Rule in Punjab for two months making Governor Punjab Salman Taseer the head of provincial set-up.
The role of governor right from the time he assumed his office is coming under serious scrutiny and many accuse him of setting the stage for confrontation in the Punjab.
Irfan Siddiqui expressing his views said that the PML-N is the major political party in Punjab and its future is very bright so many political leaders of PML-Q want to remain close to PML-N to secure their political careers.
“The government in my view has completely failed to wipe out PML-N from the political scene,” he said.
He added that despite the Governor Rule and pressure of the administration the government was not successful in purchasing the members of the PML-Q and PML-N.
He opined that the PML-Q and PPP are far behind in the number game to form a government in Punjab.
“You need the support of 186 members to form the government whereas PPP and PML-Q are not making the number due to the existence of the forward bloc of 30 members of PML-Q,” Irfan Siddiqui explained.
To a question about the confidence of PPP leaders to form government in Punjab with the PML-Q he said that “it is a last ditch effort which in my opinion would not be successful”.
He viewed that the problem in the PML-Q and PML-N unification is the fear of PML-Q leadership to lose their identity.
“I think those powers who have forced the government to restore the deposed judges including the Chief Justice sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf would not like to see unrest in Punjab and I think PML-N will again form a government in Punjab”, said Siddiqui.
To a question about the future of controversial Governor Punjab Salman Taseer, he said that Taseer has to go as there is no space for him in the new set-up.
Replying to a question about future of the members of forward bloc of the PML-Q if they vote for PML-N Irfan Siddiqui said that the process to elect the Chief Minister is called as ascertainment and it is not election so they are free to express their opinion in the assembly.
“Today about 30 members of the forward bloc have met PML-N leadership and if their number is increased to 40 then they are not bound to follow the orders of their leadership,” he said.
PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi have met President Asif Zardari and according to media reports an important development had been made regarding formation of government in Punjab.
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has also summoned the meeting of PML-Q executive committee on March 22 to discuss the issue.
Pervaiz Elahi, in a statement stated the PML-Q has no wish to form government in Punjab and he still wants that both the PPP and the PML-N should work together.
He also offered to mediate between the PPP and the PML-N, which was vital to steer the country out of crises.