Long march conclusion: Democracy won, says Zardari

President, PM congratulate Shujaat-led team.

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI:

The president and the prime minister on Friday felicitated the role played by the negotiating team led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the coalition partners, opposition and the media in bringing a peaceful end to the long march held in Islamabad.

The premier described the success to be a logical one and appreciated the government team’s efforts in averting any possible threat that might have gripped the federal capital.

“We (government) along with our allies wanted to avoid an unpleasant situation in Islamabad and that is why we were quick in dispatching a team of negotiators to settle the matter with Dr Tahirul Qadri,” he said during a meeting held with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s head Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

The Minhajul Quran International had led a long march from Lahore to Islamabad where they staged a sit-in at the D-Chowk area bringing the federal capital to a virtual halt. Thousands of participants were forced to spend three days in severe cold after which the leader of the march Dr Tahirul Qadri asked the government to form a negotiating team. The negotiating team included Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Afrasiab Khattak, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Khursheed Shah, Amin Fahim, Dr Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri and Farooq Naek.

The prime minister added that he was more concerned about the participants of the long march which included scores of women and children. He said that the Islamabad administration was ordered to completely facilitate the participants and ensure their safety at all costs.



He added that resolving the issue through a mutual consensus always paid well for the democratic system in the country and that the government would always pursue the policy of reconciliation.

On a similar note President Zardari in Karachi lauded the efforts made by the negotiation team in bringing the long march to a peaceful end.

“Democracy and reconciliation have won. The unity shown by democratic political forces in safeguarding democracy is most laudable and needs to be preserved and further strengthened,” he said, adding that Benazir Bhutto too had vigorously supported reconciliation in the democratic process.

The president reiterated the government’s stance that elections would not be delayed. He added that the polls would be held according to the constitution and no one would be allowed to derail democracy.

The president complimented the interior ministry and the law enforcement agencies under it for soundly handling the situation and keeping the demonstrators safe from any security threats. They demonstrated commendable skills in keeping the demonstration peaceful, spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar quoted the president as saying.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2013.