November 29, 2007	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 18, 1428

LAHORE, Nov 28: High Commissioners of the United Kingdom and Canada called on former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif separately at his Raiwind farmhouse in the outskirts of the city on Wednesday.

PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali was present when Robert Brinkley and David B. Colin met Mr Sharif. The diplomats discussed restoration of democracy, upcoming elections and other issues with their host.

Mr Colin, Canadian high commissioner, talked briefly to reporters after the meeting. He said the meeting was a continuation of the process of exchanging views with Pakistani politicians on the ongoing constitutional and political crises in the country.

He called the shedding of uniform by Pervez Musharraf a positive measure towards restoration of democracy and creating an atmosphere on reconciliation.

About the suspension of Islamabad as member of the Commonwealth, he said Canada was also represented on the forum which suspended Pakistan’s membership until restoration of democracy.

He said even though free and fair polls were difficult to be held in a state of emergency, he hoped that the authorities would take steps to win confidence of all political parties about transparency and fairness of the exercise.

The PML-N in the past has been relying on local channels of support in the power politics and unlike the PPP (or its chairperson Benazir Bhutto) has been ignoring the influence some foreign capitals have on Islamabad.

But the PML-N changed its policy and its president Shahbaz Sharif moved to London and stayed there for looking after party affairs from there.

He worked on Commonwealth officials as well as foreign offices of the UK, Germany and other European countries lobbying against the Musharraf regime.

Following the policy of the PPP which has appointed Senator Enver Baig its representative to keep a close liaison with diplomatic circles in the country, the PML-N appointed Muhammad Mahdi its foreign affairs coordinator.