LAHORE, Oct 28: The establishment will not block Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto’s return to power or efforts to repeal the legal ban on her becoming prime minister for a third time if her party wins absolute majority in the general elections or emerges as the single largest group in the National Assembly.
Knowledgeable sources say that the establishment’s decision has been conveyed to the PPP chairperson, along with the assurance that the elections will be free and fair.
The third-term ban can be lifted by a simple majority in the bicameral legislature provided the president gives his consent to the initiative.
The PPP believes that if fair and open elections are held, it will be able to form its governments at the centre and in some provinces, Sindh and Punjab in particular.
The Pakistan Muslim League disputes the claim but will be willing to form a coalition with the PPP in case neither party has a decisive majority. Notwithstanding its public statements to the contrary, the PML admits that the PPP will be able to form a coalition in Sindh if the MQM joins hands with it.
For the time being, the MQM is with the PML and both parties are determined to contest the election together.
President Gen Pervez Musharraf recently told the PML leadership that he would prefer that the next prime minister was from their party. He also indicated that he would support the party in the election.
However, party sources say that after taking oath for another term as president, Gen Musharraf would not give much importance to whether the new prime minister was from the PML or the PPP. They say the president will be willing to work with anyone mandated by the electorate.
Highly placed sources said on Sunday that the president did not want to give an impression that he would go out of the way to pave the way for any party to bring it to power.
It was for this reason that Ms Bhutto was disallowed to host a dinner for foreign diplomats at the Parliament House in Islamabad during the next few weeks. The PPP leader had chosen the venue reportedly for security reasons, but the authorities concerned turned down the request saying a dinner at the Parliament House at this stage would give an impression as if Ms Bhutto had already returned to power.
The president has also ignored Ms Bhutto’s letter she had written ahead of her return to Karachi on Oct 18.
The PML leadership has been told that no action will be taken on the basis of that letter as it carried no legal value.
Ms Bhutto’s counsel had said recently that the suspects should be investigated to satisfy the PPP chairperson.
