The opposition is joining hands to bring an in-house change, it is learnt.
Former president Asif Ali Zardari, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman are renewing their ties for the move, insiders revealed on Wednesday.
It is claimed that former president Zardari took the initiative and contacted both Nawaz and Fazal last week.
He conveyed messages to Nawaz on January 13 about “some important political issues.” PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif then contacted Maulana Fazal and they decided to meet the following day.
Insiders said Zardari contacted Fazal two days later and it was a real breakthrough because both of them spent last many months having ill-feelings towards each other after separation of PPP from Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a political alliance of opposition parties.
The upcoming meeting of the PDM to be held on January 25 will be important in the sense that both Nawaz and Fazal are likely to support the proposal of in-house change that was actually floated by the PPP, they said.
Fazal is convinced that from now on, the “powerful quarters” will not interfere in the political affairs but the PML-N is still sceptical and not fully accepting this viewpoint. It thinks that the strings of coalition partners and disgruntled elements like Jahangir Tareen group are still in the hands of some other forces due to which they are not able to take decisions on their own.
It is also learnt that the PPP is ready to support next prime minister from the PML-N for remaining tenure of the National Assembly. On the other hand, the PML-N has categorically conveyed to the PPP and all other stakeholders that first it would not become part of any interim setup and, secondly, it wanted dissolution of assemblies and holding of free and fair elections at the earliest.
The thaw in the relation of these three political leaders should set the alarm bells ringing in the power corridors because if they join hands for an in-house change or long march then the crisis-hit PTI government would find it hard to face the political onslaught.
Interestingly, disgruntled PTI members are making contacts with the PML-N, the JUI-F and the PPP.
Insiders said if the three leaders succeed in removing their distrust, then they would also be able to muster support of the ANP against the incumbent government.
