May 05, 2008	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 28, 1429

LAHORE, May 4: Pakistan Muslim League-N, aware of PML-Q’s desire and moves to drive a wedge between the ruling coalition parties, has decided to maintain its alliance with the PPP even if it has to take ‘a few steps backward’.

“Mian Nawaz Sharif thinks that cooperation between the PML-N and the PPP is very important for the country. He is committed to keeping the alliance intact,” sources in the party said.

They said the PML-N would do its best to settle the judges’ issue so that the presidency or other political rivals could not get a chance to pit the two major parties of the coalition against each other.

The sources said the presidency was of the view that the alliance would not survive the judges’ issue and it wanted the PML-Q to play the role of a ‘friendly opposition’ so that it was acceptable to the PPP as a partner in the event of the coalition falling apart.

A recent meeting at the presidency discussed the possible scenarios at the centre and in Punjab if the PML-N pulled out of the coalition. “The federal government can run comfortably even without the PML-N but there may be some problems in Punjab where the PML-N is the largest party,” was the participants’ assessment.

It was proposed that PML-Q leader Hamid Nasir Chattha should be asked to discuss with the PPP the terms on which cooperation between the two parties would be possible.

Mr Chattha was a coalition partner with the PPP during 1993-96 and he has good rapport with Asif Ali Zardari.

However, the sources said that Mr Chattha was against contacting the PPP at present and said that he would do so only if the coalition fell apart.

Some PML-Q leaders did not agree with the assessment that the PPP and PML-N were about to part ways.

“The establishment is painting a rosy picture for the president, which is quite misleading,” said a PML-Q leader on Sunday. He said the PML-Q should play the role of an effective opposition, giving enough time to the coalition to show its performance.

He said the PML-N would emerge as a beneficiary if the coalition broke up and it would not be in PML-Q’s interest.