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For Aziz, it's business as usual

Nirupama Subramanian

ISLAMABAD: Shrugging aside feverish speculation that he is soon to get the axe, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will fly to Beijing on April 16 for a six-day official visit.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry described the visit "as part of high-level interaction" between Pakistan and China.

An official denial from the President's office of the speculation about imminent changes in the Government has not stopped the political rumour-mill that Gen. Pervez Muhsarraf is mulling fixing responsibility on Mr. Aziz for the running crisis over the removal of the Chief Justice, and may remove him from office.

The Dawn on Tuesday attached significance to a request for a photo-call by the Prime Minister with the entire Cabinet. The newspaper reported that a directive had been issued to all Cabinet members, advisers and senior officials to show up for the group photo session on Wednesday.

But for Mr. Aziz, it appears to be business as usual. He is to call on both Mr. Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao during his visit. He will inaugurate the Pakistan consulate at Chengdu, home to the Chengdu Aircraft Industry group, where the two countries are jointly developing the JF-17 Thunder aircraft for the Pakistan Air Force.

A flurry of meetings between Gen. Musharraf, Mr. Aziz, and president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q) Chaudhary Shujat Hussain over the last few days to discuss the law and order arising from the lawyers' agitation and the Islamist vigilantism of a mosque here fuelled the speculation.

A statement from the President's office has denied the rumours. "A spokesman for President Musharraf denied all speculation regarding a change in the Government."

It denied that the Government was tying up a "deal" with the Pakistan People's Party, a rumour that got a shot in the arm last week after the Government closed down a department dealing with corruption cases against PPP leader Benazir Bhutto and her husband Asif Zardari.

Ms. Bhutto said in a television interview that her party was in touch with the Government since 2002 and while various issues had been discussed, no deal has been reached. She said her party's endorsement of a military government would be "illogical". She said it was normal in politics for various parties to be in contact, and to conclude that this was a deal in the making would be wrong.

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