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Efforts on to form PPPP, PML-Q, MQM coalition

* Shujaat, Elahi, Ebad meet President Musharraf
* Zardari meets US ambassador

By Irfan Ghauri and Muhammad Bilal

ISLAMABAD: Power brokers have stepped up their efforts to prepare a blueprint for a plausible combination of coalition partners to form governments at the federal and provincial levels.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and PML-Q Punjab President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi arrived here on Wednesday and met President Pervez Musharraf to discuss the post-election scenario.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad also came to Islamabad and met with President Musharraf. “The president discussed the political situation with the PML-Q and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders,” a source told Daily Times without disclosing any details.

After these meetings at the President’s Camp Office in Rawalpindi, a close friend of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim also met Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, a source said, adding that it was part of the efforts to form a coalition government. Efforts were on to remove the differences between the PPPP and the PML-Q, they said. “The first priority of the power-that-be is to work on a coalition involving the PPPP, PML-Q, MQM and the Awami National Party,” the sources said.

Sources said there was little possibility of the PPPP joining hands with the PML-N because of the latter’s clear position on the issue of sacked judges and resignation of President Musharraf. A PPPP source said they might arrive upon a compromise. PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar told Daily Times his party was more interested in fulfilling its promises to its voters rather than forming a coalition government.

The PML-Q president was not forthcoming at this moment, sources said. “Chaudhry Shujaat is following a wait and see policy,” the sources said. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said his party would prefer to sit on the opposition benches, but a final decision would be taken at a meeting of the party’s ticket holders on February 23 in Islamabad.

Zardari meets US ambassador: PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari also met US ambassador Anne Patterson and discussed with her the post-election scenario. A source said President Musharraf’s close aide Tariq Aziz was also present in the meeting. The PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar denied a meeting between Zardari and Tariq Aziz, Geo TV said.

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