Deal gets brittle, PML at unease
By Our Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD—Government emissaries have left for London to conclude the finale of the ongoing dialogue between Musharraf and Ms Bhutto.
According to information, General Hamid Javed and Tariq Aziz will meet, today, with PPP Chairperson Ms Bhutto in London to finalize the results of negotiations. “There will be no further negotiations, if, today’s meeting fails to produce complete consensus between parties over key issues”, source have informed.
On the other hand, the important session of the Central Working Committee of PPP has been started in London. The chairperson of PPP, Ms Bhutto would try to take party members into confidence over ongoing negations with Musharraf Led government of Pakistan. Earlier, the government negotiators had briefed President Musharraf about the details of their meetings with lady former prime minister of Pakistan.
A consensus over many issues between both parties has been reported. ‘Ms Bhutto’s demand of the abolishing of article 52-2(b), doffing uniform and ending of the restriction for a third term for prime minister election would be the chief focus of today’s meeting’, source added.
President general Pervez Musharraf has made consultations with his close aides on the overall political situation of the country and different alternative proposals in the event of failure in hammering out a deal with Benazir Bhutto have been reviewed in the consultative process.
Sources quoted the president as saying “ check and balance is inevitable to ensure a stable democratic system in the prevailing political environment of the country. If there is no balance of power, the same problems will be facing us what had been emerging in the past, he stressed. President informed dialogue process is under way with all political parties including PPP but no decision has yet been taken to undo 58 (2) B.
Sources told “ President Musharraf said “ nothing is final in the politics, however, it is imperative the principles, law and constitution should be adhered to. We are not in dialogue process with only PPP but we are holding talks with other parties too”.
President underlined the political reforms launched prior to general elections-2002 were aimed at ensuring establishment of lasting and stable democratic order in the country adding he succeeded in achieving it. That is why the parliament is completing its tenure, he held. President hinted he was reviewing the situation closely and several options were being considered. But president made it clear martial law and emergency would not be imposed.
Sources informed country’s democratic system is in congruous with its environment. There should be balance of power among all the institutions as the lack of balance will give rise to the same problems which had surfaced up in the past regimes. Sources indicated president Musharraf was briefed on the matters so far settled with Benazir Bhutto and the irritants with regard to unresolved matters.
In a high-level meeting, presided over by President General Pervez Musharraf, a new strategy has been adopted that besides negotiating with Benazir Bhutto, dialogue would also be started with the Muttehadda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) as second option. According to a private channel a high-level meeting was held in Rawalpindi. The meeting, chaired by President Musharraf, was attended by president PML (Q) Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, chief whip in National Assembly Nasrullah Dareshak, minister of state for information and broadcasting Tariq Azeem along with the chief ministers of all the four provinces.