PPP, PML-N Parleys: Deadlock Persists as Deadline Nears
By Raza Mumtaz 'Pakistan Times' Executive Editor/UK Bureau Chief

LONDON (UK): The chances of separation between the two large ruling coalition partners are getting bigger – as the deadline for the judges restoration is nearing an end.

Yet, the differences between Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) could not be done away with.

Even, US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher could not work out any settlement between the two political parties on the issue.

The US Assistant Secretary of State held separate meetings with Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari in London.

However, the differences between the two parties still exist, which has jeopardized the existence of ruling coalition.

There are chances that PML-N will part ways with the government.

Nawaz calls it ‘Inconclusive’

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif said the deadlock in the talks over judges restoration still persists despite very sincere efforts.

Talking to media here, he said his party will hold a meeting to discuss the future of ruling coalition, adding, ‘We were holding the negotiations for past one and half months; however, deadlock could not be resolved and the talks still remains inconclusive.’

‘We wanted the judges restoration while keeping the coalition from falling,’ he said. Nawaz Sharif said his party wanted the graceful comeback of the deposed judges.

Commenting on his meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher, he said he does not take dictation from USA or any other quarter on the internal affairs of Pakistan.

The sources said that the negotiations failed to reach any consensus over the modalities of judges restoration.

Some reports suggest that the talks are presently underway as to the future of the ruling coalition.

Earlier talking to the media, Hussain Haqqani said that the negotiations on judges restoration will continue in Pakistan as well, as the London talks could not succeed in producing the required results.

Hussain Haqqani said both the large political parties will work in concert to resolve all the issues, adding both the parties are in agreement on judges restoration; but, the have divergent views on the modalities of restoring the deposed judges.

On the other hand, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif said, ‘We are making all out efforts to give nation a good news by tomorrow; we are going to decide the result of stalemated dialogues in the party’s parliamentary meeting.

Boucher Meets

An earlier report said that the efforts to bring about consensus on the vexed issue of the restoration of judiciary took a new turn when American deputy Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher held hour long meeting here on Sunday with PML-N leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.

The State Department official landed in the British capital early this morning on his way home from a Bangladesh visit and went into talks with the PML-N leaders in an effort to end the stalemate.

Party sources said the meeting discussed the various aspects of the issue relating to the reinstatement of the sacked Supreme Court judges after the earlier rounds of talks between the ruling coalition partners had failed to break the impasse.

The sources said the America is keen to see amicable settlement of the judiciary issue in such a way that all the stakeholders are satisfied. Boucher is also meeting the PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari in his short stay in London.

The PML-N leaders are scheduled to leave for Pakistan later this evening.

Details

Further negotiations have taken place between the ruling coalition partners PPP and PML-N in their last ditch efforts to resolve the contentious issue of the restoration of deposed judges here on Sunday.

After two days of fruitless talks, the leaders of the two parties entered the third day still locked in intense negotiations in a bid to break the impasse that has threatened to break-up the two months old coalition government.

The third round of negotiations were held soon after the US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher met Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari during his stop-over in the British capital on his way home from a Bangladesh visit.

The fresh round involved Shahbaz Sharif and Khawaja Muhammad Asif from PML-N side while Rahman Malik and Hussein Haqqani represented PPP.

Emerging from the talks, Shahbaz felt optimistic that the coalition government will remain intact and said both sides were making sincere efforts to resolve the issue in a amicable way.

He referred to earlier meeting with Boucher and said the US diplomat desired that both political forces work together for a strong, stable and democratic Pakistan.

Haqqani, the designated Pakistan Ambassador to USA, told media that both PPP and PML-N had promised the nation to maintain and consolidate democracy and co-operate for independence of judiciary.

He said the two parties have different views on reaching a common modality regarding the judiciary issue and in this regard experts, lawyers and diplomats are all working together to achieve a satisfactory solution.

The results of their negotiations, he added, will be placed before the nation by the respective leaders of the two parties.” We need to continue talking rather than putting any deadlines,” he remarked.●