Nawaz asks Dar to contact political parties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) Quaid Nawaz Sharif has decided to develop broad consensus among all political parties irrespective of any exception for creating an atmosphere where polls could be held peacefully and transparently.

Leader of House in Senate Ishaq Dar has been designated to establish contacts with other political parties who was appointed PMLN Election Cell chairman last week.

Highly placed PMLN sources told The News here Monday that a delegation of the MQM-Pakistan (MQMP) headed by its Convenor Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi is reaching Lahore today (Tuesday) for meeting with Nawaz at Raiwind. Dr Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal will accompany him.

The political leaders will discuss overall political situation prevailing in the country and future course of action as the MQMP, JUIF, GDA and some nationalist groups are already working on establishing an electoral alliance in the Sindh province. The blueprint of the alliance would come under discussion in the meeting, the sources said.

Nawaz’s meeting with the PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is also being fixed for early next week. The Maulana had a telephonic conversation with the PMLN Quaid soon after Nawaz’s return. Similar telephonic conversation also took place between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari during these days but their meeting schedule hasn’t been discussed yet.

The sources said that all parties which were part of the PDM would be contacted individually while IPP, BAP, PMLQ, ANP and nationalist parties of KP and Balochistan would be approached by the team working with Senator Dar.

Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Ahsan Iqbal, Azam Nazir Tarar, Rana Sanaullah will assist Dar for establishing contacts with other political parties. The religious parties which are playing role in political arena would also be approached for discussions.

Nawaz visited PMLN Model Town Lahore office on Monday and talking to the party leaders there he suggested that an understanding about a conducive political atmosphere could be reached before announcement of election schedule so that agreed points could become part of the ECP code of conduct for electioneering.

The sources revealed that Nawaz had a soft tone towards the PTI leaders who have distanced from the obnoxious activities including May 9 reprehensible incidents. He hinted that such people should also be considered for inviting for consultations.

The sources said that Nawaz has asked the PMLN leaders and workers not to resort to any unbecoming behaviour and that decency and affection should be the hallmark of the party.