Rashid foresees new alliances prior to general elections

ISLAMABAD—Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Friday said new alliances would emerge before the general elections.
Commenting on the political situation in the country, he told media persons that the cabinet has already approved the draft for National Reconciliation Ordinance for signature by the President. He said he had been informing the general public regarding the political developments for the last many days and his forecasts were now proving to be correct.
Recalling his own statement which he made a year back, he said today’s friends may be foes in future and vice versa, thus creating conditions for new alliances.
Referring to the split in the ranks of Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), he said the major party JUI-F in the fold is still in the arena while those parties having one or two seats in the NWFP assembly have parted ways from them. So, he added that the alliance is no more intact.
Commenting on the All Parties Democratic Alliance, he said its future would be like that of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD).
Federal Minister for Railways SheikhRashid Ahmed Friday predicted that after the upcoming generalelections there would be a grand coalition government under theleadership of President Pervez Musharraf.
The grand coalition government would consist of PML, PPP, JUI-F, ANP, MQM and some independent candidates, the Minister told a private television (GEO), while sharing his personal observation.
Rashid said he has been telling for the last one year that there would be new coalition government, converting old opponents into new allies.
He said opposition party in the future set up would not be a strong one, saying APDM would have no role in the politics of coming days.
He said real power of the APDM is Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman and its party (JUI), whom Jamat-e-Islami has hijacked, adding “APDM will be nothing without Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman.”
He said JUI is a dominant and influential political party inNWFP. APDM would divide in two groups before the upcoming general elections, the Minister added.—Agencies