‘Pakistan faces fight over post-election government’

The leader of the Pakistan Muslim league (PML) and former prime minister of Pakistan, Choudhary Shujat Hussein, says that his country's elections will be held on time, but the real challenge will lie in trying to form a new government after the polls. Speaking at the Pakistani Journalist Forum in Jeddah on Sunday, Hussein also claimed that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, a former ally and leader of a breakaway part of the party is supporting groups "which can create riots."
"We will make sure that the elections are not canceled unless and until the order comes from the court or military,” he said.
On the issue of his party deciding to join the government of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) recently, he said that the PPP government was fed up with the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM). He said that the PML would have divided into two competing factions if it had not joined up with the government.
“If we had not taken steps to join the government our party members would have divided into two groups, half joining the PPP and the other half joining the Nawaz Muslim League." He added that there were ongoing talks with religious groups including the Sunni unity group. “If any National Unity Forum occurs, we will think about it. We had a problem with the PPP, not with (Asif Ali) Zardari (Pakistani President).
Isn’t it a great victory for us that the PPP has 22 ministers in the government and our party has 17 ministers in which the prime minister and others are included?”
He also called on all parties and role players to bring peace and stability to Karachi. “The whole city is burning and the blood of innocent people are being spilled on the streets. If the people can’t stop this killing in the city, how will they ensure the national elections can take place on time and in peace,” he said.
He added that his party has strong support in Punjab province, particularly among religious groups. He said it was not yet time to seek cooperation with Nawaz Sharif.
Hussein said the proposed Kala Bagh hydroelectric dam in Punjab province was "history" because three provisional governments are against the project.