Political consultation: Nawaz, Achakzai in joint push for on-time election

PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar hit out at MQM, PML-Q for supporting Dr Qadri’s long march.

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) have agreed to ensure that the upcoming parliamentary elections are held on time, while Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan vowed that the caretaker set-up will be decided unanimously.

PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai discussed the political situation via telephone on Tuesday. In particular, the two leaders discussed Minhaj-ul-Quran International chief Tahirul Qadri’s long march scheduled for January 14.

Nawaz’s political secretary, Asif Kirmani, said that both leaders conveyed the message to “concerned quarters” that elections must not be delayed, come what may.

Key PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar also voiced his party’s concerns over Dr Qadri’s march. He lashed out at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), saying that the support of two government allies to Dr Qadri had proved they were opportunists.

“The MQM and PML-Q’s support for Tahirul Qadri’s long march has proved that both the coalition partners, who earlier had supported military dictator Pervez Musharraf, are opportunists,” Nisar said in a statement. He added that the MQM, as well as the PML-Q, had been in power for the last 10 years because they had first supported Musharraf and then President Asif Ali Zardari.

The MQM had not only participated in the gathering addressed by Dr Qadri on his return from Canada but also announced that they would participate in his “million-man” march. The PML-Q leaders also met with Dr Qadri at his residence on Monday to endorse his vision and ideology.

Chaudhry Nisar said that these parties want to postpone the elections irrespective of the fact that the entire nation is eager for the next elections and political forces have agreed over a unanimous chief election commissioner.

In a rare show of solidarity with the ruling party, Chaudhry Nisar said that both the opposition and the government will amicably resolve the issue of a caretaker set-up the way they did in the case of the CEC’s appointment.

PML-Q’s qualified support

PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said his party will not join Dr Qadri’s march, but added that it would cooperate with Dr Qadri to evolve a consensus on electoral reforms before the elections.

Addressing a press conference, he also clarified that the PML-Q’s alliance with PPP will remain intact, and that seat adjustments will be carried out for the next elections.

(WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY OUR CORRESPONDENT IN ISLAMABAD)

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2013.