Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: With polls evident, almost all big political parties are trying hard to woo big guns to come to their folds.

Sources told Daily Times that former president Asif Zardari has contacted Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, Masood Sharif and Ameer Muqam in this regard. Sherpao and Masood have given positive indications. Amir Muqam is the PML-N’s candidate for the KP chief minister’s office, therefore, he is not ready to quit his party.

Efforts are afoot for opening gates of PPP for PTI stalwart Shah Mehmood Qureshi. Sources said Qureshi has started consultations with his aides in this regard. On the other hand, the PML-N has also contacted Sherpao and Masood.

While inflicting a fatal blow to the PPP in Sindh, the PML-N has prevented the Shirazi brothers from joining the PPP and efforts are underway to bring them to the PML-N party.

The PML-N has also started conciliation to appease Liaqat Jatoi, Mumtaz Bhutto and Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi to emerge as a stronger party on the political horizon of Sindh. The party leadership has sent affectionate messages to them.

Former president Pervez Musharraf is also making political manipulations. A complete harmony persists between Pervez Musharraf, Pir Pagara and MQM-Pakistan chief Farooq Sattar for forging the electoral alliance. Musharraf is endeavouring to bring Pak Sarzameen Party on the platform.

According to sources, the PTI has also decided to launch a forceful election campaign in Sindh from March and Kaptaan will spend most of his time in Sindh.

Political circles are of the opinion that all the political parties are focusing on Sindh and it seems as if PML-N, former president Pervez Musharraf, Pir Pagara and Imran Khan can snatch Sindh from PPP through their electoral campaign. This will be the third time after 1988 that PPP could lose Sindh.

For the first time, Jam Sadiq Ali had won over the throne of Sindh with a majority of a single vote and dealt a serious blow to the PPP. For the second time, Liaqat Jatoi clinched the throne of Sindh and this was, in fact, the victory of PML-N. For the third time, Arbab Ghulam Rahim had succeeded in grabbing the top slot of Sindh.

Neck and neck electoral encounters are expected between PML-N and PTI in Punjab while political circles hope that the process of political manipulations will gather fast momentum following the announcement of the decision on Panama leaks case.