PPP and PML-Q ink power-sharing deal: Pervaiz Elahi to be senior minister

Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Q on Sunday finally inked a power-sharing deal. Briefing media persons, presidential spokesman Farhatullah Khan Babar said that a meeting took place between PPP and PML (Q) on Sunday in the context of the on-going dialogue, which was broadly aimed at political re-alignment and strengthening reconciliation to jointly address a variety of various issues confronting the country in an atmosphere of political stability, mutual tolerance and accommodation.
The two parties reached a consensus during a meeting held here at the Presidency between PPP co- chairman President Asif Ali Zardari and the PML-Q leadership which comprised Chaudhry Shujjat Hussain, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Raja Basharat. From the PPP side, the meeting was also attended by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Raja Pervez Ashraf and the presidential spokesman, the spokesman added.
The two parties agreed to work together and cooperate towards strengthening democracy, ensuring electoral reforms, reforms in FATA, creation of new provinces specially in Southern Punjab (Seraiki) and Hazara subject to consultation with the people and approval of stake-holders and other steps such as appropriate amendments to the Constitution for this purpose. Babar said that the two parties agreed to cooperate in a number of areas such as economic uplift, efforts aimed at containing inflation, power shortages, transparency and accountability and a marked improvement in the law and order situation in the country.
"Following the agreement in principle the PML-Q agreed to form coalition government with the PPP in the centre headed by the PPP Prime Minister," the spokesman added. The two parties also agreed to cooperate in the next elections which will be held in accordance with the Constitution, he said.
The two parties also rejected any change in the government except through the mechanism of free, fair and transparent elections as laid down in the Constitution.
The two sides discussed the 19-point agenda forwarded by PML-Q that mainly deals with the power-sharing in case the two agreed to a broad-based coalition set-up besides seat adjustments in the Senate elections, delimitation of constituencies, accommodation in the provinces and withdrawal of cases therein, keeping the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and curriculum in the centre.
According to sources, PML-Q will be given portfolios of four federal ministers, six ministers of states and three advisors. The two parties agreed that the slot of deputy premiership would not be created as was earlier proposed for Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, who will now be appointed as senior minister in the new cabinet.
Besides, Ghaus Bux Mahar, Amir Muqam and Jam Yousuf would be included in the cabinet as federal ministers while Raja Basharat, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Qasim Shah would be appointed as advisors. The two also agreed to cooperate with each other in the forthcoming Senate elections, the sources added.