PPP, PML-N for coalition, but Mush doesn't want to leave

New Delhi: Pakistan is waiting and watching new political equations emerge in the country after the general elections, as former arch-rivals PPP and PML-N are trying to stitch together the most unlikely of coalitions to grab power in Islamabad.

The Pakistan Peoples Party have 90 seats, followed by the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) with 70. Together, they can get an easy majority and have begun dialogues to that end.

“We want to form a government with national consensus. Asif zardari has started dialogue with other parties. Let’s see what the outcome is,” said PPP’s Senior Vice-Chairman, Makhdoom Amin Fahim.

Both parties are toeing a strong anti-Musharraf line and have declared that they will give the incumbent president no quarter.

Musharraf, on the other hand, has made it clear that he is willing to work with any government that comes into power.

Speculations remain rife on Musharraf’s next move.

Although his spokesperson has said Musharraf can work with PPP if it forms a government on its own, the president would impeachment if PPP, PML-N and others come together with 2/3rd majority.

On his part, Musharraf has said that he is willing to work with any government which comes to power, even with former PM Nawaz Sharif, whom he had accused at one time of trying to kill him.

But behind the conciliatory and cooperative façade, Musharraf has made his stance of staying in power – in some capacity – completely clear.

In an interview to the Wall Street Journal, Musharraf stated that he is neither contemplating retirement, nor would he resign, and added that he intends to stay in office to guide the country’s transition to democracy.

"No, not yet. We have to move forward in a way that we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan,” he said.

“We are running a parliamentary system. The government is run by the Prime Minister. The President has his own position but has no authority running the government,” he had told the publication. “The clash would be if the Prime Minister and the President would be trying to get rid of each other. I only hope we would avoid these clashes.”

If Musharraf does manage to stay on as president, the very clashes he claims to want to avoid may just arise, for he asserted that there was no possible way in which the Supreme Court’s sacked Chief Justice, Iftikhar Chaudhury, and the other deposed judges would be reinstated.

“Legally, there is no way this can be done. I can’t even imagine how this is doable,” Musharraf had told the WSJ. The PPP and PML-N had strongly denounced this move and have often played the judges card in their campaigns.

After the polls threw up a hung assembly, the PPP and PML-N began consultations on Tuesday for joining hands.

Observers are now wondering if the PPP can form a majority without the PML-N in the government, with help from independents and other smaller parties.