Before governor’s rule, Asif was asked to sack Taseer ...Rauf Clasra

Asif Ali Zardari was advised by four federal ministers on the night governor’s rule was imposed in Punjab to sack Governor Salman Taseer to send a positive message to the Sharif brothers after their disqualification by the Supreme Court.

At a cabinet meeting, held a day later and chaired by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, a serious allegation was heard that one lawyer — fighting Nawaz Sharif’s eligibility case in the Supreme Court — was quietly paid a sum of Rs5.5 million by a bank for unknown services.

It was confirmed to The News that before the imposition of governor’s rule in Punjab, a secret meeting took place among Salman Taseer, Law Minister Farooq H Naek and retired judge Malik Qayyum at the Governor House in Lahore. It was this meeting that sealed the Sharif brothers’ fate.

A well-placed source confided to this correspondent that a shouting match took place at the cabinet meeting that was called to discuss the imposition of governor’s rule and endorse President Zardari’s decision on installing a PPP government in Punjab.

Several federal ministers reportedly exchanged harsh words so much so that Prime Minister Gilani was seen helplessly watching his raucous ministers settling their scores and having no idea how to placate them.

One insider claimed that President Zardari, during his visit to China, had told the prime minister to meet Shahbaz Sharif to bring the situation under control. Zardari called for the fence-mending talks after he was informed of the secret meeting held at the Governor’s House.

But one source defended the president and claimed that Zardari did not have any idea about the verdict of the apex court against the Sharifs. However, a PML-N leader rejected the view, saying, his party believed that the president knew full well what was going to happen.

As the president came to know of the Supreme Court ruling, he immediately called his close aides in the cabinet and started discussing the issue before making up his mind what to do in Punjab. The meeting, minus the prime minister, was attended by all the top leaders of the PPP.

 A, RA and KS, according to sources, opined that governor’s rule should not be imposed, because it would send negative signals. However, some others like HSK, MW, AW and RA suggested that if governor’s rule was to be imposed, Salman Taseer should also be replaced to help the federal government save its face.

At one stage, Zardari appeared serious about removing Salman Taseer while declaring governor’s rule. However, before someone could propose any name for the new governor, FN, LK, AM and SR strongly backed the continuation of Salman Taseer in office. They argued that he was an experienced man, knew the whole system in Punjab and was thus in a better position to handle the dangerous situation resulting from the imposition of governor’s rule. It was further argued that if a new man was brought in, he would not deliver at all.

When Zardari realised the mismatch of perceptions on governor’s rule, he asked for a consensus on the issue before he took a final decision. Ultimately, the hawkish elements prevailed, with others deciding to accept the majority opinion. As a result, all agreed on imposing governor’s rule in Punjab without replacing Taseer.

Once the decision was made, the prime minister also joined the meeting. As Gilani came to know about the participants’ intentions, the sources revealed, he was in a state of shock and tried to oppose the move. Gilani feared that it would lead to a serious trouble, but he was overruled by the majority. When the premier felt that he was not in position to convince them, he decided to fall in line.

Naek and Khosa were later assigned with preparations for governor’s rule. Both returned to the meeting with the observation that the prime minister’s advice was required before governor’s rule was declared. Gilani was asked to send a recommendation to the president, which was done within minutes.

Supporters of the unpopular step kept telling Zardari that he did not need to be confused, as it was not for the first time that governor’s rule was being imposed. Several precedents justifying the step were already there, they maintained.

Zardari was reminded of Nawaz Sharif’s orders placing Sindh were under a similar arrangement when Mamoon Hussain was made governor after sacking of the Liaquat Ali Jatoi government. Likewise, Manzoor Wattoo also did his bit to goad the president into action and recalled governor’s rule imposed in Punjab in the mid-90s. As tension between the Centre and the province was at its peak, Wattoo called the shots with the help of only 17 legislators.

At the meeting, an insider disclosed, the prime minister insisted that the Punjab chief secretary and IGP should be of his choice, a demand that was readily met to make him feel relaxed. But the tension among the participants during consultations at the Presidency also surfaced in the cabinet meeting the next day when Rabbani and Naek clashed and traded shouts in the presence of Gilani.

 ne source said that the shouting match started when Raza Rabbani — discussing the governor’s rule issue — was snubbed by Farooq Naek, who warned cabinet members against taking up the question. Naek tried to prevent all from commenting on the verdict of the Supreme Court, as he claimed it was against the law.

 ut Rabbani challenged his assertion, saying that the cabinet could confer on the issue. At this stage, Prime Minister Gilani sought the opinion of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Babar Awan, who also backed Rabbani’s view. After the judgment, Awan observed, fair comments could be passed on it.

This further infuriated the law minister, who tried to confront his dissenting cabinet colleagues — many of them blaming him for having a close relationship with Malik Qayyum, who had sealed the fate of Zardari and Benazir Bhutto to please the Sharif brothers.

The sources reiterated that the largest cabinet in Pakistan’s parliamentary history was sharply divided on governor’s rule, with many slamming it as a bad move by the party leadership and warning that it would trigger chaos in the days to come. Some of them were in favour of lifting governor’s rule and letting the PML-N bringing in a new chief minister.

It is learnt the cabinet members were heard asking how one of Nawaz Sharif’s lawyers got Rs5.5 million from a bank. But no one came up with a reply.