LAHORE, Oct 22: Some important political leaders who laid the foundation of the ruling PML-Q and then occupied important positions in it are going to join hands with the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, possibly maintaining their independent status in the opposition’s alliance.
Those likely to part ways with the party in power are of the view that the PML-Q has been hijacked by people who should not meddle in political affairs.
Former ambassador and federal minister Begum Abida Husain told Dawn here on Wednesday that she, her spouse Syed Fakhr Imam, Mian Muhammad Azhar and Sikandar Hayat Malhi and some others would support the ARD, an alliance which doesn’t recognize Gen Pervez Musharraf as president nor does it accept the Legal Framework Order, through which the general gave himself sweeping powers.
Over a dozen members of the group are expected to take a collective decision.
However, the MPA daughter of Begum Abida and Syed Fakhr Imam will stay with the PML-Q.
“Everything will be clear after Eidul Fitr (falling in December),” said Begum Abida, who was once the central information secretary of the ruling party.
Recently, Begum Abida had a breakfast with the self-exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in the United States where they exchanged views about the challenges facing the country and the role political parties should play to meet them.
Ms Bhutto reportedly indicated that she would like Begum Abida to join the PPP, a party of which she had been a member between 1972 and 1977. She had become a member of the Punjab Assembly on PPP’s ticket. However, she was refused a ticket in 1977 when the party gave the seat to her rival Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat. Not reconciling with the decision, Abida left the PPP and joined the National Democratic Party, which split subsequently. Begum Abida and her husband stayed in politics independently between 1984 to 1994, after which they joined the PML of Mian Nawaz Sharif. They remained in the party till the deposed prime minister was banished to Saudi Arabia along with the rest of the family.
Mian Azhar had close family relations with the Sharifs till he developed differences with them during their second tenure. After the ouster of the PML-N government in Oct 1999, the establishment picked him up for some important role at the national level.
He first joined what was named the like-minded group, after which he was elected as president of the PML-Q. He was defeated in last year’s general election after which he stepped down as head of the party.
Convinced that he had been defeated as a result of a well thought-out conspiracy, the former Punjab governor turned against the new leadership and started establishing contacts with the leaders working against the government, ARD president Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan and Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan among others.
Many eyebrows were raised when the former head of the ruling party called on the Nawabzada at his Nicholson Road residence, which had been the centre of all opposition movements during the past four decades.
Former MNA Col Sarwar Cheema (Retired), who was with the PPP before joining hands with the PML-N, had joined the PML-Q and become a member of the independent group. He is also in contact with Ms Bhutto.