Benazir, Fazl doing US bidding to stab opposition

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Maulana Fazlur Rehman have joined hands to stab the opposition in the back, after being prodded by the US.

Islamabad, Sep 23 : Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Maulana Fazlur Rehman have joined hands to stab the opposition in the back, after being prodded by the US.

Confirming speculations, US Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia and South Asian Affairs Richard Boucher finally admitted that he played his role in the recent initiation of deal-dialogue between Musharraf and Bhutto.

Washington desired to see the moderate forces ruling Pakistan, he added.

Some leaders in the opposition believe that Maulana Fazl's somersaults are also the result of a conspiratorial wink from Washington. Fazl is always considered the government's man disguised as an opposition leader.

Lt General (retired) Hameed Gul said that like Bhutto, Maulana Fazl has also cut a deal with the Americans, and is playing a dubious political role as per the script written by the US.

He said that in the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) meeting, Hafiz Hussain Ahmad had assured the opposition leaders that the QAzl had given his assent to the resignation move.

Lt General (retired) Gul said that the opposition is badly divided and short of the right strategy to effectively respond to Musharraf's bid for re-election, The News reported.

Though Bhutto and Fazl might seem poles apart from each other and at times publicly attack each other, they had a happy time together as partners in the coalition government in the mid-1990s.

During this period Benazir was the Prime Minister and Fazl was the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the National Assembly.

Much to the shock of the APDM, on the very day it had announced the date (September 29) for en bloc resignations, Fazl refused to endorse the decision, arguing that he was not consulted.

The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam of the FAzl, who is the opposition leader in the National Assembly, has the majority number of MNAs in the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal. It is his party that dominates both the NWFP and Balochistan Assemblies and has formed governments there.

For Musharraf's continuation in the office, the biggest contributor so far has been Fazlur Rehman. But today Bhutto is playing the lead role while Fazl is trying to catch her to provide a lifeline to the General who was never as vulnerable as he is today.

ANI