A division has surfaced in the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) over the ongoing power-sharing negotiation between President Pervez Musharraf and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Islamabad, Aug 19 : A division has surfaced in the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) over the ongoing power-sharing negotiation between President Pervez Musharraf and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
According to sources, a majority of PML parliamentarians have opposed the idea of a Musharraf-Benazir deal, and have also threatened a "revolt" against such a move if all political parties were not involved in a "deal".
"Yes, there is a division in the party," a PML leader, who is close to Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, was quoted by the Daily Times, as saying.
The sources said that Khurshid Kasuri, Hamid Nasir Chattha, Manzoor Wattoo, Majeed Malik, Kabir Wasti and Ishaque Khakwani were among those who believed that a deal only with Bhutto would neither benefit the country nor the PML.
"Only a dozen parliamentarians may support a deal with Benazir Bhutto, but a majority would not agree to this decision," sources said.
The PML leader added that the party parliamentarians have also conveyed their concern to Musharraf in recent meetings with him. "They (the PML parliamentarians) have also objected to the proposal of withdrawing cases against Benazir Bhutto," he added.
Another PML leader expressed fears that there would be a split in the party in case of a deal with Bhutto. "There is strong resentment in the party because everything is being kept secret," he said, adding that the general mood in the PML is "dismal".
"There is a concern in the party that if all this (deal with Benazir and withdrawal of cases against her) had to happen, it should have happened much earlier," a federal minister said, adding that a deal with the PPP or any other party would "take the people's confidence out from the leadership".
Another minister, who had left the PPP to join the PML, said: "A deal with those whom we have been calling looters and plunderers of national wealth would bring the country back to square one."
ANI