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LAHORE, Jan 31: PML (Functional) President Pir Pagara laid the foundation of a new controversy on Thursday when he called for a new constitution to replace the 1973’s which, he alleged, had usurped the rights of smaller provinces.
Replying to a question at a news conference, he said: “The 1973 Constitution had taken away the rights of smaller federating units. How can we accept this Constitution in such a situation?”.
Leaders of the PML-Jinnah and PML-Q Malik Haider Usman and Saifullah Saif, respectively, who flanked the spiritual leader, reiterated their parties’ commitment to the 1973 Constitution and resolve to continue their struggle for its restoration from the platform of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy.
These leaders, and leaders of some other PML factions, were present to give their points of view on the unity talks held on Wednesday.
PML-C President Hamid Nasir Chattha, though not present at the meeting because of health reasons, distanced himself from the Sindhi leader’s views, saying whatever he had said was his personal opinion. He said in fact the provinces had not been given autonomy according to the provisions of the Constitution, but there was nothing wrong with the basic law.
Pir Pagara said till the merger, all factions were free to have their own thinking on various subjects.
While speaking about Gen Pervez Musharraf’s intentions to stay as president for five years, or even longer, he would have no objection to the general’s wearing president’s mantle. He said a person who could suspend the constitution was also in a position to give a new one.
He said Gen Musharraf had elevated himself as president in consultation with his corps commanders, not any political leader, and no leader could do anything to dislodge him.
“When you talk of the unification of various PML factions you stick to the original party constitution framed in the times of the Quaid-i-Azam and regard it as sacrosanct, but you don’t have the same respect for the country’s constitution which was passed unanimously by all parties”, a reporter suggested.
“The 1973 Constitution was amended or held in abeyance on various occasions, but this is not the case with the PML constitution”, argued the FML chief. He insisted that the situation in the country would get right only if the pre-parity situation, as prevalent till 1954, was restored.
Asked if in the current situation it would be possible for any party to evolve a national consensus on a new constitution, the Pir said: “First of all let’s have a consensus among the federating units. The Punjab is the bigger province, other provinces also have the right to think about safeguarding their interests”.
He underlined the need for the Punjab to play its role to save the federation.
PML-Jinnah leader Malik Haider Osman said his party regarded the 1973 Constitution as a binding force. However, in case there were any lacunae, the future parliament could address them, he said.
PML-Q leader Saifullah said his party was committed to the 1973 Constitution from the platforms of both the ARD and the APC. He said in case the provinces wanted more rights, they could get them through an elected parliament.
He admitted that the ‘arbiters’ were behind the unification efforts, a euphemism for the army.
Asked if the Quaid-i-Azam could ever imagine to give the army a role in the PML matters like he was offering and accepting, the Sindhi leader said he was Pir Pagara and not the Quaid-i-Azam.
He said the army was in a stronger position capable of taking any decision.
UNIFICATION: Sparring between Pir Pagara and the PML-QA ever since the failure of their recent exploratory unification talks at Pir Jo Goth culminated into a full scale war on Thursday when the Functional Muslim League chief turned a back on this faction of what he called thugs and rascals and softened his attitude towards the PML-N, changing his policy in the past 15 years.
PML-F sources claim that the Sindhi leader sent a message to the exiled Sharifs in Saudi Arabia telling them that they stood no chance to return to power in the discernible future and it would be in their own interest if they allowed their party adherents to join the Functional Muslim League.
The message was sent on Tuesday and the first delegation of the PML-N called on Pir Pagara at his party office on Jail Road on Thursday, opening the long blocked channels of communications between the two sides.
The delegation included a nephew of the deposed prime minister, Ahsan Lateef, provincial secretary-general and information secretary Khwaja Saad Rafiq and Zaeem Husain Qadri, respectively.
They met the Pir before he addressed a news conference. Hours later, provincial president Zulfikar Khosa, accompanied by Saad and Qadri, also met the Pir and exchanged views with him on the situation.
PML-N sources say that they had met the Pir to appreciate his stand against the deserters and turncoats of the party. However, they said that it was too premature to say whether these contacts would result in cooperation between the two sides.
An important leader denied that the Pir had contacted the Sharifs or that the meeting between the two sides was held under instructions from the Sharifs.
He said the party was examining the possible reasons which brought about a sea change in the thinking of the Sindhi leader.
The PML-N leaders also met the PML-C president on Thursday, who underwent a heart surgery a few weeks back.
Mr Chattha, it is said, discussed matters concerning the unity of the PML. “The response from the other side was not bad”, sources close to Mr Chattha said.
The Pir singled out the Chaudhris for criticism, alleging that they had gone scot-free despite the fact that they had ‘devoured’ the whole cake. He said it was regrettable those accused of having pocketed “crumbs” were facing accountability and others involved in corruption were not touched.
Pir Pagara also did not spare the late Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi, and alleged that he had been changing loyalties during his life time.
Replying to a question, he said anybody, including Mian Azhar, wanting to join the PML (Functional) was welcome in his personal capacity.
Pir Pagara was once a staunch opponent of Mian Nawaz Sharif when he became the Punjab chief minister after the 1985 elections, had fomented a rebellion against him. He was supporting the Chaudhris to pull down Mr Sharif.
The crisis was averted with the personal intervention of then president Ziaul Haq, who was going out of the way to see Mr Sharif as a strong chief minister.
A few years ago, the Pir started flirting Mr Azhar and extended him all-out support against Mr Sharif.
But now he has again taken a U-turn and changed his policy.
The FML president has called a meeting of the central organizations of his party in the first week of March. The Pir said the participants would elect a new party chief, as he was no longer a candidate for the office.
