ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: A crucial meeting between Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and President Gen Pervez Musharraf was on the cards to set the ball rolling as far as allaying of the apprehensions of the major parties on some constitutional changes, sources told Dawn on Thursday.
Chaudhry Shujaat, who has been chosen on his own request by the four major parliamentary parties for coordination with the government on resolving contentious constitutional issues before transfer of power, is expected to meet the president within the next 24 hours, sources claimed.
Meanwhile Mr Hussain who is also a Parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Q remained busy in ‘behind the scene’ talks with the power brokers on the second consecutive day on Thursday but his movement was kept a top secret.
Earlier, the speculations were rife that he was scheduled to meet with the president on Wednesday when Gen Musharraf had not even returned from Saudi Arabia and it was said that the president due to pre-occupation with the cabinet meeting could not see him on Thursday.
Mr Hussain left the residence in the morning along with his cousin Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, the party nominee for chief minister Punjab, and appeared only for some time at a party’s meeting with the elected MNAs and MPAs from Rawalpindi division, sources close to him disclosed.
Earlier, he along with NA chief Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi called on veteran politician Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan on Wednesday and discussed with him situation prevalent after the four parties conference which had adopted a six-point declaration seeking early transfer of power.
He told reporters after his meetings that he was very much optimistic that the task that he was assigned with will be accomplished in the next couple of days.
A senior MMA leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman also expressed the confidence in the capabilities of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain saying, “we are ready to talk on all issues with the government through his (Chaudhry’s) good office on the issues of LFO etc. for facilitating smooth transfer of power”.
Mr Hussain was assigned the task of negotiating with the ones responsible for setting the rules of the game for transfer of power on contentious issues of LFO, NSC and 1973 Constitution by the four major parliamentary parties PPP Parliamentarians, PML-Q, MMA and NA the other day.
The residence of Mr Hussain has become the hub of activity as scores of party workers elected members men and women and the aspirants for the senate tickets thronged his bungalow from early morning till late in the evening.
Long queues of vehicles of all models and modes keep the triangular roads leading to his house occupied giving it a look of festivity.
Interestingly, the power centre has shifted from the house of party president Mian Azhar to Chaudhary Shujaat Hussain soon after the former’s humiliating defeat on both NA seats and subsequently nomination/election of Mr Hussain as parliamentary leader.
More painful for Mian Azhar has become the latest ordinance barring all the defeated NA candidates to apply for the senate seat. He has already declined an offer to contest by-elections on any seat vacated by the party members who have won more than one seat.
Lately Shujaat Hussain has attained the status of a king maker first because party empowered him to nominate party’s candidate for prime minister the announcement which he is keeping close to his chest so far and then his choice as coordinator with the government on constitutional issues.
Meanwhile his party leaders were upbeat on the announcement of election of its 22 women candidates as they claimed party had achieved simple majority by raising its own tally to 111 and the strength of its allies NA, MQM, PPP(S) etc put together it comes to 177 seats in the house of 342 MNAs.
