Planning negotiations: Punjab governor, Zardari discuss Qadri’s march

Mehmood will reportedly negotiate with Qadri.

KARACHI:

Punjab Governor Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood called on President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday and discussed Punjab’s political situation, and in particular, the long march call given by Minhajul Quran International chief Tahirul Qadri for January 14 in Islamabad. 

There were reports that President tasked the governor and Interior Minister Rehman Malik to negotiate with Qadri, to convince him to withdraw his announcement.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was also present, but no party leader was willing to share further details of the meeting. The spokesman for Bilawal House said that it was a courtesy meeting between both the leaders. “The Punjab governor will also visit Garhi Khuda Bux to pay tribute to PPP leaders Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto on Saturday before leaving for Punjab,” he said.

Talking to reporters earlier at the airport and Quaid’s mausoleum, Makhdoom Ahmed Mehmood said that he had never supported anti-democratic forces, adding, “Tahirul Qadri is a spiritual and political personality of this country and my humble request to him is to avoid disturbing his followers because there will be extremely cold weather in Islamabad on January 14,” he said.

When asked about his affiliation with Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), Mehmood said that it was necessary for the governor to be neutral. “After my tenure as Punjab governor, I wish to continue my party affiliation with PML-F,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 5^th, 2013.