Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Eyes of the federal government as well as opposition are on the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Central Executive Committee meeting that will be held today (Tuesday) at Naudero, from where a decision about making a grand opposition alliance, or else, will come.

After taking the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) onboard, former president Asif Ali Zardari has sent invitations to his “good friend” Fazlur Rehman and Asfandyar Wali Khan, keeping the government under pressure.

Aitzaz Ahsan and Qamar Zaman Kaira have suggested the top leadership of the party to team up with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the upcoming general election to give a tough time to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab.

However, PPP leader Khurshid Shah has a different opinion, as he believes that Imran Khan more of a solo player. The opposition leader has advised patience on that matter.

Some inside the PPP also believe Fazlur Rehman will be annoyed in case the party joined forces with the PTI. However, senior PPP leaders have consensus on one point; reconciliation with the PML-N’s government will bring down the popularity graph of the PPP. Therefore, they believe that Zardari will have to play on front foot and make an alliance in Punjab with all opposition parties, including the PTI.

One thing is clear that today’s important meeting of the PPP Central Executive Committee will pave the way for political strategies for the next polls.

Senior leaders of the PPP have been invited to attend the CEC meeting, which will be held after observing the ninth death anniversary of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Although Asif Ali Zardari has taken Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain into confidence over the grand opposition alliance, the PML-Q leadership has indicated that it will evolve the future strategy after the decisions of the PPP’s CEC come to surface.

On the other hand, the PML-N has said that it will be in a position to make any decision – of either continuing the reconciliation process or parting ways with the PPP – only after listening to the speeches on BB’s death anniversary and the decisions taken at the PPP CEC.