LAHORE, Feb 17: An unexpected move by the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) to re-establish contacts with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) after rejecting it for almost a decade has stunned many, including the party activists as well as political analysts.

Analysts say that pressure of, or threat by, external and internal elements considered to be instrumental in the making and breaking of governments in the country made PML-N president and Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif to visit MQM leaders in Karachi the other day. Some insiders privy to the development confirm that the change of heart on part of the Sharifs came after the most active party leader from Rawalpindi division conveyed them a “message” from the quarters concerned.

PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq though rejects any ‘message’ behind the change, he will not explain the timing selected for the move.

Embracing a party accused of its role in the killing of around 50 people at the arrival of deposed chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in Karachi on May 12, 2007, at a time when lawyers are about to build up momentum for their long march has raised the question of factors behind the move as the PML-N has been the main political supporter of the lawyers’ cause.

“There is only one factor behind it: political parties should have mutual contacts despite all ideological and policy differences,” says the Raja.

Not ruling out external pressures, Dr Hasan Askari believes that the party has fears that rising tensions between Punjab and federal governments may cause the collapse of the political system and thus the province may too slip out of its hands.

“It’s possible that the establishment may have politely conveyed the message, but the fact is that the system will collapse if Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif try to exclude each other from the political arena.”

Dr Rasool Bakhsh Raees says it seems that Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the US have convinced the Sharifs that the current economic and political situation does not allow the country to witness prolonged confrontational politics.

Another factor, he says, seems that the PML-N has realised that it cannot play any role in Punjab by confronting the PPP, whose co-chairman is ambitious to install his party’s government in the largest province.

The political realignment, he says, also hints at the frustration of the PML-N that in the absence of its representation on assemblies of provinces other than Punjab, the party is going to be seen as a regional entity.

The haste the PML-N showed in establishing top level contacts with the MQM also surprised many.

“New traditions are being set,” Mr Haq said smilingly, when asked why the party deviated from the tradition of first developing low-level contacts before arranging meetings between top leadership.

Dr Askari says the haste was shown because of the forthcoming Senate polls.

“Through the move, the PPP has been given the reconciliation signal and it may result in an agreement between the two major players on electing senators unopposed from Punjab too.”