Benazir, Govt top aide in bid to contrive deal

DUBAI—Fresh round of stalled talks on a deal between the Musharraf government and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) held here Monday to make last ditch efforts end the deadlock and reach an agreement. The talks held between former Prime Minister and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and president Musharraf’s top aide Tariq Aziz the media reports said.
Negotiations held in London last week between the two-time prime minister and president Musharraf’s top aides ended in deadlock, with Bhutto saying that she would fly back to Pakistan regardless. Earlier, Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani said stalled talks on a deal between Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf and former premier Benazir Bhutto are expected to resume soon, with the venue moving to Dubai.
Federal minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said, “Dilemma marks PPP-government talks” however, the outcome of talks in terms of success or failure will not take a long time. PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto and Tariq Aziz, close envoy of General Musharraf have met here Monday to break deadlock in the negotiations. This is stated to be a last ditch effort to sort out the difficulties on the way to hammering out deal, says a private TV channel. PPP spokesman and sources close to Benazir Bhutto had contradicted the reports on any meeting between Benazir and Tariq Aziz. This meeting is likely to break the impasse. It may be recalled that the negotiations started following the meeting between president Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto in Dubai had stalled. Benazir Bhutto ahead of her announcement of schedule for return home had said some ruling PML-Q leaders were blocking the dialogue process.
On the other hand PPP spokesman Farhat Ullah Babar while refuting the reports of recent meeting said Benazir Bhutto was in Dubai and no such schedule was there for this meeting nor dialogue process was underway with government.
Talking to a private TV channel PPP central leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim said nothing was in his knowledge about the recent meeting between Benazir Bhutto and Tariq Aziz. Benazir had presented her demands to the government. Our doors are open to government if it was considering these demands. He reiterated democracy and uniform can not proceed side by side. “ I am in London and I have no information about Benazir-Tariq Aziz meeting in London. We had explained our stance and sent our proposals to government. Ball is in the court of government now. It is now upto government to accept it or otherwise”, he underlined.
If government has started talks process afresh and deliberated over our proposals, no information about it has been received from leadership, he told. PPP has not shut its doors to government for talks as per our manifesto and for the sake of restoration of democracy, he added.
Fahim told he would reach Dubai today and would be able to offer any comment about this meeting after becoming cognizant of such development . He reiterated his stance uniform and democracy can not go side by side.” We have decided to participate in polls under interim government. The fair and transparent elections under the present government stands ruled out. To a question he said 58 (2) B is a killer weapon which kills democracy and PPP will not tolerate that democracy is murdered for the second time. About future prime minister he said no one else but only Benazri Bhutto will be the prime minister from PPP.—Agencies