In a breather for beleaguered President Pervez Musharaf, Pakistan People's Party has indicated that the new government will not seek his immediate impeachment as Western envoys confabulated with leaders to shore up his position.
Asked whether the new government will move forward to impeach Musharraf, PPP leader and frontrunner for Prime Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim said the party did not wish "to rock the boat" at this stage.
"I think there's no need at the moment but parliament is sovereign. Once we go to parliament, it will look at every issue. We should not rock the boat at this time. We must have civil transition of power from the military to the civilians," the 68-year-old Bhutto loyalist said.
The envoys, including from the US and UK, have pressed Pakistan People's Party and Pakistan Muslim League-(N) to try to co-exist
Though both PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and and PML (N) chief Nawaz Sharif have said the vote was against Musharraf, the PPP is reluctant to make immediate moves for the former General's impeachment.
US Ambassador Anne Patterson met Zardari at least twice since his PPP emerged as the largest party in the February 18 polls.
British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley has also met leaders of the PPP and PML-N, including Sharif. The US has indicated that it would continue to work with Musharraf despite the rout of his PML-Q party in the polls.