January 14 march: PM, Nawaz agree to put faith in the ballot

Both leaders talk on the phone, decide that democracy is the only way forward.

ISLAMABAD: In wake of an impending long march to Islamabad by Sheikh-ul-Islam Dr Tahirul Qadri, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif have collectively resolved that come what may on January 14, 2013, the democratic process in the country will not be allowed to go off track.

Ashraf and Nawaz agreed that democracy was the only way forward and the people of Pakistan would not allow any attempt to derail the democratic process in the country.

The PML-N chief said that Pakistan has lived through the horrors of so-called slogans of revolutions and long marches. But, both Nawaz and Ashraf agreed that the best way to ascertain the people's wishes was through ballot.

The Prime Minister said that the restoration of democracy owed itself to arduous struggle of political forces in the country and that the system needed continuity to evolve.

Ashraf said that it was a sign of political maturity that all the political forces were on the same page as far as the need for continuity of democratic system was concerned. He added that the government was committed to holding of fair, free and transparent elections in the country as per law and Constitution.

The prime minister assured Nawaz that all necessary steps would be taken to achieve this objective.