September 05, 2007	Wednesday	Sha'aban 22, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Sept 4: The ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said on Tuesday that only ‘ten per cent success’ had been achieved so far in the ongoing talks between the president’s team and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto — nine per cent in London and one per cent in Dubai.

Chaudhry Shujaat had said last week that ‘nine per cent success’ had been made at the govt-PPP negotiations.

It will be interesting to speculate about the consequences for the PML-Q if the Dubai talks produce a deal between President Musharraf and the PPP.

The PML-Q faces a double threat from the PPP and the PML-N.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with President Pervez Musharraf, the PML president said there was no doubt that talks on a political understanding with Ms Bhutto were going on, but it was premature to talk of a breakthrough.

He, however, made it clear that a deadlock persisted on three major demands of the PPP chairperson — the immediate doffing of uniform by Gen Musharraf, repeal of Article 58(2) b and lifting of the bar on two-time prime ministers.

When his attention was drawn to television reports that the deadlock had been broken, Chaudhry Shujaat said: “Let everyone claim whatever they like, but the fact remains that so far only 10 per cent success has been achieved.”

In reply to a question about the holding of free and fair elections, the PML chief said: “We have adopted a stand from the very beginning that all political parties should close their ranks to reach a consensus on a code of conduct.”

He denied that he had ever said to Tariq Aziz, President Musharraf’s adviser, during a private conversation not to make Pakistan Muslim League (Q) a ‘scapegoat’ in the dialogue with the People’s Party.

Meanwhile, insiders in the ruling party have been expressing confidence that the Dubai talks would yield no agreement on the president’s re-election and the uniform.

The sources said that the government’s negotiators had told Benazir Bhutto that only Gen Musharraf was competent to make a decision on the timing for the president to quit the army. “The president has made up his mind on doffing the uniform. The date will be announced later.” Sources said the Pakistan Muslim League-Q had let its reservations known to President Pervez Musharraf after the London round of talks.

But the Pakistan Muslim League-Q has so far shown no urgency to tackle the emerging situation. It has held no meeting of its central working committee or the central executive committee over the past few months to chart a line of action in the eventuality of a Musharraf-BB deal.