LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has made a first formal contact with PML-Q in connection with its long march preparations.

PTI Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi called on PML-Q’s Chaudhry Shujaat Husain and Pervaiz Elahi at their residence here on Tuesday and sought their support in his party’s efforts to press the PML-N government to accept its ‘legitimate’ demands.

Mr Qureshi also told the Chaudhrys that the PTI would go ahead with its long march plan on Aug 14 come what may. Mr Qureshi said: “Some elements in the government are purposely creating doubts about it (long march) but they will not succeed in their design.”

A source in PTI says the party is cautious about contacting the opposition parties for their support for its long march. “Although the Chaudhrys are part of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s 10-point agenda against the PML-N government, the PTI preferred to take them (Chaudhrys) on board but shied away from inviting Qadri,” the source said.

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Talking to Dawn after the meeting, Shah Mamood Qureshi said the PTI was inviting the political forces who were of the view that the May 2013 elections had massively been rigged.

Referring to ministers like Pervaiz Rashid, Mr Qureshi said: “Let me tell to our detractors that the PTI will not take any unconstitutional step. Our protest is within the norms of democracy and the Constitution.

Mr Qureshi said his party would contact other opposition parties in coming days but did not say with certainty about inviting Dr Qadri.

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“We had attended the Multi-Party Conference (MPC) convened by Dr Qadri to condemn the killings of innocent people in Model Town. We are inviting all those parties who believe in struggle within the constitutional norms,” he added.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Mr Qureshi said both the PTI and PML-Q had common thinking. “There is a commonality in thinking with PML leadership and uniformity on many points.”

Chaudhry Shujaat said: “Those doing propaganda against us regarding taking unconstitutional steps and derailment of democracy should tell the people where is democracy. Is this a democracy in which neither an FIR is registered nor anyone is arrested for murdering 12 persons (in Model Town).”

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He said Dr Tahirul Qadri would also be apprised of the meeting with Mr Qureshi.

Pervaiz Elahi said various matters including the Model Town tragedy and MPC were discussed during the meeting.

“Democracy is the name of the present rulers and they will be derailed and not democracy,” he said, adding the government got panicky and statements of its ministers were reflective of their confused minds.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2014