Pakistan: All eyes on ‘Zardari formula’

As Pakistan People’s Party supremo Asif Ali Zardari is coming to Lahore on Saturday (today) to give Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif “a valuable piece of advice,” some PPP leaders are of the view that the premier should go for a “big sacrifice” in case he finds no way to avert the crisis.

The PPP leaders also say any more delay in resolving the issue with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek will harm the government. Mr Zardari will tell the prime minister to show ‘large-heartedness’ to resolve the crisis.

“Even if the prime minister has to opt for some sacrifice, he should go for it to save the democratic system,” PPP Secretary-General Sardar Latif Khosa told Dawn here on Friday. “We had accepted the sacking of Yousuf Raza Gilani as prime minister just for continuation of democracy in the country. We avoided confrontation. It was the policy of reconciliation of Mr Zardari that averted major crises during the last PPP regime in which the PML-N played a very hostile role. Had the PPP in the position the PML-N finds itself in today, the latter would have gone against us,” he said.

Mr Khosa said the government would have to show more flexibility than the PTI and PAT to resolve the crisis. “The government will be at the losing end if the crisis persists,” he warned. At the same time he asked the PTI and PAT leadership to come on the negotiation table.

He asked the PML-N government to ‘own’ Opposition Leader Khurshid Shah’s proposal of holding investigation of rigging allegations before the demand of resignation. “This formula should be acceptable to both the government and the protesting parties,” he said.

Had the government earlier paid heed to Mr Zardari’s advice to audit four constituencies for verification of votes today, it would have averted the crisis. “It will be better for the PML-N leadership to now follow Mr Zardari’s advice (in Saturday’s meeting) to deal with the issue,” Khosa advised the PML-N leadership.

Zardari’s coordinator in Punjab Naveed Chaudhry said it was the test of the PML-N leadership to show maturity and take some decision in case it found itself stuck in a blind alley. “Mr Sharif will have to follow the advice of Mr Zaradri as we should be more concerned about saving the political system in the country,” he said while remarking that resignation was not a big thing.

“What the government should do is overcome political polarisation and avoid reaching the point where the country comes in the grip of anarchy,” he said.

Naveed Chaudhry said the PML-N should follow the PPP’s policy of reconciliation.