Gilani, Fazl see anxiety in govt ranks

After talks with PDM president, Ex-PM says establishment is neutral on Senate elections

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Monday the candidature of former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in the upcoming Senate elections created panic among the government circles and expressed the hope that he would win the contest.

Talking to the media after meeting with Gilani, Rehman stressed that the former prime minister had secured votes in the past on the basis of his personal contacts, and this time too, he would get the majority votes to get elected to the upper house of parliament.

Gilani met Rehman—also the chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) – as he began his campaigning for the elections. Gilani said that the government was distressed because the opposition’s support for him and added that the establishment was neutral on this matter.

The former prime minister is contesting against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Dr Hafeez Shaikh for the Senate seat from the federal capital. The voting would be held in the National Assembly on March 3, according to the schedule announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Fully backing Gilani, Fazl even went on to say that it would be “an honour for us” to have him as the Senate chairman. “Yusuf Raza Gilani is the joint candidate of the PDM [and] God willing, he will succeed,” Rehman told reporters.

“Ever since the announcement is made that Gilani is contesting the Senate elections from the National Assembly, there is anxiety in the government circles,” he added. “The government is beginning to see disunity among its ranks. We will give a good fight and we will succeed,” he added.

Rehman said that Hafeez Sheikh, the finance minister, is contesting against Gilani. He added that Shaikh had been in charge of the country’s economy in almost every government” in the past and was still holding this portfolio.

“We want to make the members realise that if we hand over the portfolios to such people, where it would lead the country to? The common man demands that the people, who can take the country out of the crises, should come to the important positions,” he added.

“Inflation is rising in the country. Everything, including flour, sugar and ghee, have become so expensive and the purchasing power of the common man has dwindled. The people have been suffering for two and a half years,” he said, referring to the government’s economic policies.

Gilani, who previously served as federal minister and the National Assembly speaker during the two terms of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, said that he received votes in the past on the basis of his personal relationship and now he would again get votes on the basis of his performance.

“The PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] had made me the prime minister by voting [for me in 2008] and the PML-N is still supporting me,” he said. “The PDM has given me the ticket and I will fully represent the PDM,” he added.

Referring to the government side, Gilani said that after his announcement of contesting the election, the honour of the PTI lawmakers had increased. “I am the reason that [Prime Minister] Imran Khan is meeting with his MNAs and MPAs.”

On the occasion, the PPP leader thanked the opposition alliance for unanimously nominating him as the candidate. I have launched my campaign today which has received a good response. My victory will be for the democratic forces,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said that he did not have any contact with senior PTI leader Jahangir Tareen but added that “it is needless to say he is my relative”. He added: “I used to get votes on my personal relationship, and it will get votes again. I see that the establishment is neutral,” he added.