By: Bruce Loudon

PAKISTAN’S warring coalition was plunged into a new round of infighting last night when a confidant of Asif Ali Zardari was appointed governor of the country’s biggest and most important province, the Punjab.

The move outraged coalition partner Nawaz Sharif, who regards Punjab as his personal political fiefdom and power base.

Last night, officials of Mr Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (N) claimed Mr Zardari had not consulted them about the appointment and had instead “connived” with President Pervez Musharraf to have businessman and newspaper owner Salman Taseer appointed to the coveted job.

Mr Taseer is a longstanding opponent of Mr Sharif. A leading member of the PML (N) told The Weekend Australian last night: “Zardari - in concert, clearly, with Musharraf - could not have acted more provocatively if he had wanted to.”

Party officials said they would boycott the swearing in of Mr Taseer.

Mr Taseer, a longstanding member of the PPP, was a minister in the caretaker government formed by Mr Musharraf in the run-up to the February general election.

The Punjab appointment was made by Mr Musharraf, as President, after he received a recommendation from Mr Zardari’s surrogate Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani. It was seen as a none-too-subtle move by Mr Zardari to impose himself on the Punjab and to have a trusted aide in the role, who can pursue the PPP’s political interests in the province as the arm-wrestle with the PML (N) intensifies.

Already, Mr Sharif’s ministers in the national Government have tendered their resignations, bringing the coalition to the brink of collapse.

Meanwhile, senior US and Pakistani intelligence officials disclosed last night that Wednesday’s Predator drone attack on the village of Damodola in Pakistan’s Bajaur tribal region had claimed “a high-value target … an Arab” among those killed.

More than 30 al-Qa’ida militants, mostly Arabs, were killed when Hellfire missiles were fired from drones operated by the CIA. A senior US intelligence official was quoted as saying: “This guy (the high-value target) was planning attacks, so we nailed him.”