PML-N CEC meets today with one point agenda

The major ruling coalition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) set to hold a party Central Executive Committee (CEC) here on Monday with one point agenda whether to remain in or quit the coalition.

The ruling coalition was facing uncertainty as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has not given any timeframe for the reinstatement of deposed judges and the draft committee assigned to prepare resolution on sacked judiciary and nullify Musharraf’s unconstitutional steps of November 3 could not meet on Sunday due to boycott by PML-N.

PML-N efforts for reinstating deposed judges suffered a setback on Sunday, as the PPP has not given any timeframe-a demand made by none other than the party chief Nawaz Sharif the other day here. The PML-N has been left almost alone in the ruling coalition as the two other allies ANP and the JUI-F have announced to support the PPP candidate for presidential slot.

The two parties are of the view that judges’ issue is not that important as being advocated by the PML-N. The support from the MQM to Zardari is another added advantage to PPP - the leading coalition partner.

Meanwhile the PML-N is also seeking the postponement of presidential election which is scheduled for September 6 as the party could not take a clear stand on supporting the PPP candidate Asif Ali Zardari without getting a clear position of the PPP on judges’ issue.

According to PML-N sources, the CEC meeting will also take up the issue of fielding Javed Hashmi as its presidential candidate. Farooq H Naek, the law minister, told media persons on Sunday that the PPP-PML-N committee to draft a resolution on reinstatement of judges sacked by Musharraf and nullify the unconstitutional acts of former president on November 3 could not meet due to absence of PML-N members of the committee.

The leader of the House in Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, Information Minister Sherry Rehman and Law Minister Farooq H. Naek attended the meeting. However, the committee members from the PML-N Khawaja Asif and Ishaq Dar did not turn up for the meeting.

Informed sources said that ANP and the JUI leaders Asfandyar Wali Khan and Maulana Fazlur Rahman respectively were likely to play a role for mediation between the PML-N) and the PPP. However, the PML-N leaders are of the view that there is very little chance left for keeping the ruling coalition intact. The PML-N quitting the alliance is almost certain if nothing big happened till Monday.