LAHORE, March 8: Chudhry Shujaat Hussain is reported to have approved Governor Salmaan Taseer’s plan to instal a PPP-PML-Q government in Punjab.

During a meeting held on Sunday at Chaudhry Shujaat’s residence in Gulberg, they also formalised details of the alliance between their parties.

According to a source in the Governor’s House, it was after the successful outcome of the meeting that Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf was given a go-ahead to launch a frontal attack on the PML-N.

The meeting, which lasted one and a half hours, was also attended by Chaudhry Pervaiz Ealhi and Moonis Elahi.

The source also told Dawn that initially the PPP-PML-Q alliance would remain confined to Punjab. At least 10 ministries would be given to the PML-Q. Moonis Elahi will be a senior minister in the new set-up.

“Seeing the fate of the PPP-PML-Q agreements in the past, the PML-Q has involved foreign guarantors in the process,” the source said, adding that the PPP had left the option of PML-Q’s share in the upper house of parliament open. PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain will have to discuss this issue directly with President Asif Ali Zardari,” he said.

A PML-Q leader confirmed to Dawn that his party had already reached an understanding with the PPP regarding power-sharing in Punjab. “The PML-Q had been taken into confidence about the imposition of Governor’s Rule and the future coalition partners are in accordance with a prepared script,” he revealed.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Ealhi, however, told newsmen that his party would hold talks with the PPP if they (PPP-PML-N) failed to reconcile by March 11. Insiders said the PPP decided to commence the final parting of ways with the PML-N and align with the Chaudhrys of Gujrat to give a ‘clear message’ to the PML-N and PML-Q forward bloc MPAs that it was serious about installing its government in Punjab.

They said the forward bloc lawmakers had already conveyed to the PPP leadership that they would not return to their parent party unless the Chaydhrys of Gujrat publicly announced their alliance with the PPP.

They pointed out that the Sharifs were ‘deliberately’ spreading news about reinstatement of deposed chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and reconciliation with the PPP after formation of the PML-N government in Punjab in order to keep their forward bloc legislators with them.

Former senior minister Raja Riaz told Dawn that it would be very easy for the forward bloc now to make up their mind to return to their party with the new development, you will see the PPP and PML-Q comfortably forming their government in Punjab.

PML-Q vice-president and former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri told this reporter that if his party went with the PPP, the alliance would be ‘short-lived.’
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