ISLAMABAD, March 8: Stop supporting the lawyers’ long march and give the government time to resolve issues—these are two pre-conditions for dialogue the PML-Nawaz has received from the presidency.

“They want us not to take part in the long march, but we cannot make any compromise,” PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq told Dawn while talking about his recent meeting with JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

He said there had been no progress in the efforts to bring about reconciliation between the two mainstream political parties.

“Our stance is based on principles. And we cannot budge an inch. There is no going back,” the PML-N chairman said.

He said his party would not accept anything short of restoration of the deposed judges, lifting of governor’s rule and implementation of the Charter of Democracy in letter and spirit.

He said the disqualification of the Sharif brothers had laid bare the intention of the People’s Party of not accepting the PML-N mandate in Punjab.

He said the PML-N would extend complete support to the lawyers in order to achieve the common objectives.

Meanwhile, a senior People’s Party leader told Dawn that President Asif Ali Zardari, had directed his close aides to give a matching response to allegations being levelled against him by the PML-N.

He said that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awan’s speech in the National Assembly on Friday was the first salvo, followed by the hard-hitting statement made in Lahore on Sunday by Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

“In days to come more fireworks are expected because the PPP leadership is not going to sit back and watch the PML-N leaders say and do whatever they want to”.

Some observers are of the opinion that although problems might appear to be increasing for President Zardari on the street he continues to maintain a firm grip on the party.Despite a general perception that President Zardari is fast losing ground in the party, even some disgruntled PPP leaders think otherwise.

“I don’t think Mr Zardari is facing any real threat from within the party. This is not because he is very popular. This is because there is no one else who poses a real threat to him”, one of them said.

He ruled out the possibility of formation of a new party by disgruntled PPP leaders like Naheed Khan and Safdar Abbasi.

“At the moment no internal conspiracy can succeed against Mr Zardari. But let me add that nobody would shed tears if Mr Zardari leaves the scene for one reason or another,” he said.
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