LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Yousaf Raza Gillani on Wednesday termed the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) success in the by-elections as the victory of democracy.
PDM’s joint candidate for Senate election from Islamabad and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif at Lahore’s accountability court.
Gillani held a meeting with Shehbaz at courtroom number 5 of AC-II. Gilani hugged Shehbaz and enquired about his and Hamza Shehbaz’s health.
Both the leaders discussed in detail the upcoming Senate elections. Gillani informed the PML-N president about the strategy for the coming days and also delivered a message from PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
Both the leaders also discussed the inconclusive outcome of the NA-75 Daska by-election in their meeting, which was also attended by PML-N leaders Ayaz Sadiq, Amir Muqam, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Atta Tarar and PPP leader Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood.
Talking to media persons outside the court, Gillani said that he was grateful to the PDM and PML-N for nominating him as their joint candidate for the Senate election from Islamabad.
“I will also meet PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and Akhtar Mengal,” the former prime minister added. Gillani declared that the PDM’s success is a ground reality as it had given excellent performance in the by-elections.
Recalling his days in the prime minister’s office, Gilani said that he had an admirable relation with Shehbaz when he was the premier and the PML-N president was the Punjab chief minister.
They (PTI) want to bring changes in the Constitution, said Gillani referring to a presidential ordinance seeking open ballot in the Senate polls.
“We must follow the constitution and any unconstitutional step would be dangerous to the democracy,” the former minister said, adding that the electoral process for the senate has been explained in it.
He snidely asked if he had bought the entire house when he won the NA elections in 2008 uncontested.
Gillani said that he also held meetings with Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) Chairman Akhtar Mengal and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) chief Fazalur Rehman, wherein they had decided to move forward by leaving the past behind.
The former PM said: “We had made an alliance in the past as well for the Charter of Democracy, and are together again.” He also condemned horse-trading in the Senate polls.
Gillani is holding meetings with allied parties and senior political leaders from the opposition to seek support for the March 3 polls. He is contesting against PTI’s Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh.
