Zardari, Gilani phone Nawaz to condole uncle’s death

Gilani says the government will give detailed reply to Nawaz’s letter.

ISLAMABAD: The top leadership of Pakistan Peoples Party approached Nawaz Sharif on Eid day to ‘exchange greetings and condole the demise of his uncle’ – a move seen as a gesture from the government to appease the increasingly critical leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani both rang Nawaz Sharif separately to exchange Eid greetings and condole on the death of his uncle Mian Miraj Din.  They also discussed the political situation with him, while agreeing upon the need to work together to strengthen democracy and media offices.

PML-N, which had been dubbed ‘friendly’ opposition, has become a harsh critic of the government during the past few months. PML-N is giving a tough time to the government inside and outside the parliament recently.

The premier assured Nawaz that Zardari was examining the proposals made by the former through a letter. Gilani said Zardari had sent a short reply to the letter, a copy of which had also been received by the prime minister’s office. Gilani said a detailed response will be given after the views and proposals expressed in the letter receive their due attention.

However, spokesperson for PML-N Ahsan Iqbal told The Express Tribune that the calls had been out of courtesy, with no political significance attached to them.

“It was just for greetings and condolence over the sad demise of the beloved uncle of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,” Iqbal said. Responding to a query, he said that PML-N would devise its strategy after reading the reply the presidency has reportedly sent in response to Nawaz Sharif’s letter.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2010.