Daily Times

With each passing day, the upcoming Senate elections are becoming more challenging for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) as its allied parties – MQM-P and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) – have started increasing their demands, some of which are in fact against the ‘moral stand’ of the ruling party.

Sources privy to the developments said that former president and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has played his cards smartly not only to secure Senate seat for Yousaf Raza Gilani but he is also wooing MQM-P and GDA to vote for PPP candidates in the Senate elections. “The meeting of Hafeez Sheikh with MQM-P leaders the other day in Karachi was not as good as expected by the PTI leadership,” sources said, adding, “MQM-P says the previous promises made by the federal government regarding providing development funds to the party parliamentarians have not been fulfilled. Now, the MQM-P has further increased its demands, which may not be possible for the ruling PTI to fulfill as some of those are against the party’s moral stand.” However, the sources maintained, Hafeez Sheikh has tried to convince MQM-P, assuring them that the commitments made with them will be definitely honoured.

The sources said the GDA has also furnished fresh demands to the ruling party, foremost of those being the change of Sindh governor. “The GDA is of the view that their nominee, which most likely is former Sindh CM Ghulam Arbab Raheem, be made governor of the province,” the sources added.

Tall claims are being made by former president Asif Ali Zardari that the PTI will be surprised by the results of the Senate elections. Former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, the joint candidate of PDM, has also accelerated his efforts to reach out to political leaders across the divide. The PTI is also active in approaching its allied parties and is confident that its candidates will secure maximum seats in Senate.