The Muslim Times’ Editor for Pakistan

Credit: Xpress Tribune

By Zia Khan

Published: January 1, 2012

ISLAMABAD: It looks like the sweets former premier Nawaz Sharif received from President Asif Ali Zardari on his birthday are working a treat. Associates of both leaders are now trying to arrange a one-on-one meeting between Zardari and Sharif.

The move would be a symbolic demonstration of unity amid growing suspicion within the two largest parties that the security establishment is out to derail democracy.

Officials from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) told The Express Tribune that both men were afraid of ‘emerging threats to democracy’ in the form of the establishment backing a so-called third political force.

Both leaders, their affiliates said, are worried about the rising popularity of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and believe that a ‘hidden hand’ is behind the former cricketer’s rise.

“Imran is their utmost worry at the moment … they think he is being pampered to limit their political influence and the situation may force them to try to find minimum common grounds,” a PPP official said. “That is why most of us and Mian [Nawaz Sharif] Sahib’s party members believe that a meeting between the two can send out a strong message that we are united to save democracy from any assault or infiltration,” he added, asking to not be identified.

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