Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is desperately looking for ministries in Punjab and pressurizing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to get 'space’ in the province, said senior analyst Muzamal Suharwardy.
While speaking at a program on Naya Daur TV, Suharwardy said that a second round of negotiations was held between the two parties, in which former prime minister and PPP senior leader Yousaf Raza Gillani said, “The issue is not about budget only; the party wants ‘space’ in Punjab.”
The analyst said that PPP is not protesting over the imposition of taxes; in fact, the party’s demand is ministries in Punjab. He said that earlier, the PPP announced that it would not take any ministries as it was of the view that the government would not be able to survive for long, but now that the government is performing well, the PPP has taken a u-turn and is demanding ministries.
Suharwardy said that political parties have to acquire space based on their own power, adding that it cannot be gifted. He suggested that PML-N should not give ministries to the PPP in Punjab.
He said that PPP leader Manzoor Wassan recently said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will dissolve the National Assembly within three months, which indicates that the PPP has intentions for re-elections.
While responding to a question about the Saragodha ATC judge’s letter to Lahore High Court Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan, the analyst said that the ATC judge claimed that a message was conveyed to him that some authority of ISI wanted to meet him in his chamber, but he refused to meet him. The judge said that after that incident, some unknown persons at night damaged the sui-gas meter installed outside the house. He said that an electricity bill for the previous month with a huge amount had been received by his family, which was apparently a fake. He also reported an incident of firing on June 6, which damaged a transformer installed outside the main gate of the ATC.
Suharwardy said that judges are suffering from ‘ISI-phobia’ and they believe every unusual thing that happens to them was done by the ISI.
To another question, the analyst said that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has become a neutral opposition figure; therefore, he can be the best person for arranging talks between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the government.