LAHORE/ KARACHI:
Even as his compatriots continued to be in a state of suspense from the prolonged protests in the federal capital, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif began preparing to host Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari at his Jati Umrah residence in Raiwind on Saturday (today) in a bid to end the stalemate.
Ahead of the scheduled meeting, several political leaders scrambled to find ways to convince Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) leader Dr Tahirul Qadri to end their relentless street campaigns against the government.
“The former president, accompanied by Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Aitzaz Ahsan and Raza Rabbani will meet Nawaz Sharif over lunch and return to Karachi the same evening,” Senator Farhatullah Babar, the spokesperson for Zardari, said in a statement. He added that Premier Nawaz telephoned Asif Zardari and invited him for a meeting in Raiwind. The former president has accepted the invitation.
From the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and possibly Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, will also attend the meeting, according to a ruling party official.
He added that a host of issues, including the future of democracy, supremacy of the constitution and parliament, and demands of the PTI and PAT, would be discussed in the meeting.
During his Punjab visit, Asif Ali Zardari will also meet with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid leaders, Chaudhry Shujaat and Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, as well as Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq.
Earlier, Asif Zardari, who flew into Karachi Thursday night from Dubai, rang up key political leaders, including MQM leader Altaf Hussain, chief of his eponymous faction of JUI Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Sirajul Haq. The conversations were focused on the political turmoil triggered by the ongoing protests by the PTI and PAT.
The PPP co-chairman also met with senior party leaders, including opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah, Senator Raza Rabbani, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Senator Rehman Malik.
Zardari told his aides that the PPP, which is the biggest opposition party in parliament, would not support any unconstitutional step, a source privy to the meeting told The Express Tribune. “We should play whatever role we can for democracy and we will not let any third force to intervene,” the source quoted Zardari as saying.
Shah and Malik briefed the PPP co-chairman on the overall political situation emerging from the protest marches of the PTI and PAT. “We will support democracy come what may,” Senator Rabbani told reporters outside the Bilawal House after the meeting.
Asked about the Raiwind rendezvous, he said the prime minister phoned Asif Zardari to consult him on how to defuse the prevailing political tension. “We are democrats and will stand by democracy,” Senator Rabbani added.
PPP Secretary General Sardar Latif Khosa said his party would stand by democracy. “When we were in power PML-N leaders pursued the judiciary to derail our government. Shahbaz Sharif and other leaders of the party would use derogatory language against Asif Ali Zardari. Irrespective of this, the PPP will play its role to save the elected government because our leader Benazir Bhutto had sacrificed her life for democracy,” Khosa told The Express Tribune.
Khosa added that the PML-N has to follow the charter of democracy it had signed with the PPP which says that neither side would victimize other’s leaders and workers. Calling it ‘political victimisation’, Khosa said the PML-N government has reopened cases against two former prime minister and other senior leaders. “This should stop,” he added.
On his part, Malik told the media that the PPP would support any change within the preview of the Constitution. “During our meeting Asif Ali Zardari categorically said that no unconstitutional demand of anyone should be accepted,” Malik added.
Zardari was also supposed to preside over an important meeting of the PPP core committee on the current political situation, but the session was deferred for a few days.
The decision to invite Zardari to Raiwind was taken at a high-level consultative meeting of the ruling party at the Prime Minister House in the early hours of Friday. The meeting, presided over by Nawaz Sharif, discussed the PTI and PAT sit-ins and decided to take Zardari into confidence over the situation.
The prime minister, according to sources privy to the meeting, also advised senior cadres of the ruling party to organise pro-democracy rallies across Punjab from Saturday (today).
The meeting expressed satisfaction over the efforts of Shahbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who have been liaising between the government and army chief General Raheel Sharif during the current political impasse.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 23rd, 2014.
COMMENTS (18)
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zardari being looked upon for advice, the much maligned zardari now being treated like a tribal elder. is this the time when zardari begins to redeem his image in the eyes of the public? or is this more indicative to our inability to produce leaders that former crooks are now seen as wise advisers?
" Raiwind troubleshooting: Nawaz invites Zardari for ‘power’ lunch" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Why didnt the two have lunch with the IDPs...or are they forgotten?
"we will stand by democracy" is a clear message to PML N that if necessary the prime minister will be sacrificed to save democracy. I am now convinced that AZ is a superior political mind than any of the present lot.
@Ch. Allah Daad:
If PM Sharif is so honest, he should have had conducted verification of votes in four constituencies as had been demanded by the PTI.
the nation must acknowledge that terrorism has almost vanished in Nawaz sharif tenure .things were clearly improving in terms of law order and this crisis is built by using Qadri/Imran alliances .
the nation stand by Nawaz sharif and one call by the Maestro PMLN will be responded insha allah
@Ch. Allah Daad: Zardari has twice in the past left NS high and dry after making commitments. Zardari wants to score a hat trick and NS is to dunce to realise that.
@Blithe: NS & Zardari meeting is just a gathering of hypocrites to save their agendas. One has to be an imbecile not to see the damage these two have done to the country.
Birds of a feather; flock together. Only a looter can advise another in the same business.
It is true that A.Z is a master of making alliance but it is also true that he didn't work good for this country. He just Complete his 5 year term by breaking all time records of corruption in Pakistan.And Now he is sharing his expertise with Nawaz Sharif to continue the democracy which have no beneifit for the country.
Well, if people even after seeing so much hypocrisy from NS & Zardari etc, still want to follow them, then they have no reason to complain about anything.
In the end of the day they are same.. Democracy... -Jones
Its very encouraging that except few thousand anarchists, whole country is standing behind Mian Sahib. If Imran is a true sportsman, he should accept his defeat with a grace and stop boring us further.
We are democrats and we will stand for democracy...Mr.Rabbani....this is not democracy,it is Feudocracy...What about L.B. election,it is also part of democracy...changing in the system of status quo is knocking at the door
@Liberal_Pak:
True. Zardari did prove to be an astute surviror with some good intentions.
He may not have done much to Pakistan, but his intentions seem honest.
@imran: At who's request???
IK could not win elections to becomr PM if his life depended on it and is now looking for a mouse door to get in,,,
This enemy of a Pakistan wants is to default on our loans , for is not to pay taxes - he is the biggest enemy of Pakistan!
prepare for midterm exams
Media should report how many peoples are still sitting in the red zone in Islamabad from each party. ( PTI. And PAT) Who is financing their stay? After all it cost money to do any thing in life. Why they have brought their children to this demonstration? Do they think, they came on vacation? Mr IK and Mr Qadri did not bring their family and children? Did they?
You love him or hate him, but Zardari is a real maestro of Pakistani Politics, a matchless genius. His wisdom, political acumen and foresightedness always saved the day for his Govt. He faced what not.... media's propaganda, opposition's conspiracies, Judiciary's super activism, and right wings abuses, and Establishment's wrath with tolerance, grace, dignity and above all smiling face. His patience endured. Salute to AZ. And wish he succeeds again saving fragile democracy in Pakistan and improve governance in Sindh to make it a model province. All the best to Mr.Zardari and PPP.