Sharif, Zardari to meet on Tuesday to save PML-N-PPP coalition

Islamabad, Aug.4 : Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif will meet here on Tuesday in what is being touted as their last chance to save the Pakistan People's Party-Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz coalition.

The News says that there is a possibility of the governance in Pakistan spiralling into a crisis and a political abyss in the event of the two leaders failing to iron out their differences on key issues, including the restoration of the sacked judges and the impeachment of President Pervez Musharraf.

Fears about the possible wrapping up of the set-up are increasing, so much that there are rumours in circulation that that Prime Minister Gilani has been advised by some of his friends and family members to step down, as he has not been given a free hand to run the government.

Apart from the political instability, there are growing tales of corruption, the disappearance of accountability systems, bad governance, highly controversial key appointments, no-confidence in the judiciary, the deteriorating law and order situation and cropping up of a crisis after crisis have made the government highly unpopular.

The paper says that along with Musharraf, both Zardari and Sharif will also be held responsible for adding to the mess.

For Zardari and his party, there is only one viable option: he has to end the terrible style of his rule and will have to resort to good governance. He is also required to make his mind quickly if he would go for the president's impeachment and would restore the judges.

Nawaz Sharif, on the other hand, has to stick with the coalition if Zardari changes his mind. Otherwise, he, too, has no option but to quit the coalition and sit on the opposition benches even at the risk of losing the Punjab government, which by the way is the only positive thing that has happened to Pakistan after February 18.

Possibly the only viable alternative would be to let all the political leaders to sit together and find a solution. Maybe another election is on the cards.

ANI