ISLAMABAD, Sept 7: A power-sharing deal between President Gen Pervez Musharraf and PPP chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto has collapsed mainly because of the latter’s demand to third-term prime ministership, according to Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad.

“It is finished. The president said ‘no’,” the outspoken minister told Dawn on Friday. When asked if it was really over, he said: “If you insist, there are very thin chances of salvaging it — just 1 or 2 per cent.

“PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and secretary general Mushahid Hussain Sayed are fiercely opposing any cooperation with Ms Bhutto.” He added: “Maybe some last-minute attempt is made today (Friday) to salvage the deal. But personally I am not at all hopeful, the reason being Ms Bhutto’s insistence that prime ministers must be allowed a third term.”

In his opinion, presenting any new constitutional package in parliament for a deal “is fast becoming a difficult proposition”.

Though the government, he said, had accepted as many as 17 demands of Ms Bhutto, including those concerning the uniform and withdrawal of cases against her, the issue of third term scuttled the deal.

Both sides, however, have not closed doors on their dialogue over a future political set-up, he added.

Sheikh Rashid said things “changed abruptly” at the closing stage of the deal which was being discussed for about a year.

“Time is running out fast. Everything has to be decided by Sept 14 because the schedule for president’s election will come any day after that date.”

He claimed that a successful deal would have been a big blow to the popularity of Ms Bhutto and her party. Since new political arrangements with Ms Bhutto could not be finalised, there were chances of dissolution of the National Assembly. “This is a very critical issue and if there is no dissolution then I am afraid emergency could be imposed or even martial law cannot be ruled out,” he asserted.

Sheikh Rashid did not believe that the ruling PML would have a tough time because of the government’s failure to conclude a deal with the PPP. President Musharraf could exercise one

of the two options getting himself elected from the present assemblies or from future assemblies.

“But the president has been advised by Chaudhry Shujaat and Mushahid Hussain to get himself elected from the future assemblies,” Sheikh Rashid said. If so, the president would continue in his present position till the next elections, he added.

However, he said, he could not say anything authoritatively keeping in view the issue being discussed in the Supreme Court. “On many issues the situation is pretty unclear”.

In reply to a question, Sheikh Rashid said that PML (N) leader Nawaz Sharif was not likely to be arrested immediately after landing in Islamabad. “Mr Sharif might be kept in jail for a day or so and then he will be deported to London, Saudi Arabia or elsewhere,” he said.

He said the PML (N) leader was not expected to be provided an opportunity to become a hero on the 10th of September.