COMMON FOE BRINGS GOVT, OPP TOGETHER

Feeling the heat from the long march announced by Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran leader Dr Tahirul Qadri, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Friday contacted the leadership of major coalition partners and opposition parties and assured them of the government’s resolve to protect the democratic process against all odds.
Ashraf phoned Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan to assure them that no one would be allowed to derail the democratic process in the country. The prime minister also met Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Deputy PM Pervez Elahi, seeking their support to help reinforce the democratic order in the country.
“Both leaders (Raja Pervez Ashraf and Nawaz Sharif) discussed the political situation prevailing in the country … They agreed that democracy was the way forward and the people of Pakistan would not allow any attempt to derail the democratic process in the country,” said a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s House. The telephonic contact would bring about a sigh of relief in the PML-N camp, as the Sharif brothers have been much perturbed over the recent developments. They think that the onslaught by Qadri was a spanner thrown in their work as they had taken almost all “big-wigs and electables”, including close comrades of General Pervez Musharraf., into their party who could help the PML-N win the next elections.
“Talking to Ashraf, Nawaz said Pakistan had lived with the horrors of so-called slogans of revolutions and long marches. He said that the best way to ascertain the people’s wishes was through the ballot,” the statement said. The prime minister said the restoration of democracy owed itself to arduous struggle of political forces in the country and the system needed continuity to evolve.
He said it was a sign of political maturity that all political forces were on the same page as far as the need for continuity of the democratic system was concerned. “The prime minister said the government was committed to holding of fair, free and transparent elections in the country per law and constitution. He assured Nawaz that all necessary steps would be taken to achieve this objective,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the prime minister also telephoned Asfandyar Wali Khan and discussed with him the prevailing political situation. During the telephonic conversation, Asfandyar Wali Khan said, “Our goal is to establish sustainable democracy in the country.” Reiterating his support for the present coalition government, Asfandyar said any attempt to create hurdles in the democratic process was unacceptable. Responding to Khan’s remarks, Ashraf said the government considered elections as a national trust and was committed to hold them according to the constitution.
Deputy Prime Minister Pervez Elahi and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain also met Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf at the PM House and discussed the political situation prevalent in the country. The leaders of PML-Q assured the prime minister of their unstinted support to the PPP-led coalition government and conveyed their firm commitment to strengthen democracy in the country. Talking to the PML-Q leaders, the prime minister said a consensus among political forces over the need for continuity of democratic process would augur well for the country’s stability. The PM said the democratic process was vital as it incorporated interests and aspirations of various stakeholders. Ashraf added that the country was looking forward to the general election and the government would ensure that they were fair, free and transparent as per constitutional provisions.