September 17, 2008	Wednesday	Ramazan 16, 1429

LAHORE, Sept 16: The resignation of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the opposition leader in the National Assembly is a “hint from the hardliner Chaudhry” that things could move between the two PML factions if Nawaz Sharif decides to play ball with him.

According to PML-Q insiders, Pervaiz Elahi’s decision to vacate the office for Chaudhry Nisar Ali of the PML-N is a clear sign that “chances of an honourable compromise” remain alive and could be pursued to a logical conclusion.

According to an office-bearer of the PML-Q, Pervaiz Elahi has already played his hand and now it is up to the PML-N to reciprocate. “The issue of Pervaiz Elahi’s resignation was thoroughly debated in party meetings and its repercussions were taken into account,” he says while discounting the current oral match the two leagues are involved in.

Had Pervaiz Elahi not resigned from the post, the PML-Q would have been in a better position to deal with the PPP, without compromising its position vis the PML-N.

“He (Pervaiz) has changed his position, and the party will now expect some kind of reciprocation from the PML-N before making any further move,” an insider who didn’t want to be quoted on party matters by name, told Dawn.

“The PML-Q has made a shrewd political move through the resignation,” concedes a PPP leader from Punjab, who also doesn’t want to be named. “On the one hand, it has extracted itself from political wrangling that would take place during the next few weeks by setting the PML-N against the PPP on one-to-one basis, and, on the other, trying to woo the PML-N by vacating the slot for it. With the PML-N taking the slot of the opposition leader, the job of criticising the government would go to Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, thus absolving the PML-Q of the responsibility.”

With the PPP and the PML-N taking on each other at the centre and in the province, the PML-Q would be concentrating on saving its numerical strength. You may find the Q faction pursuing the ‘PML-family’ agenda, is how a politician puts it.