LAHORE: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) candidate for the Senate elections from Islamabad and former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani met PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif at the accountability court here on Wednesday.

The PPP and PML-N leaders discussed the next month’s Senate polls and Mr Gilani talked about his prospects of winning against PTI’s Hafeez Sheikh. Mr Gilani reportedly also asked Mr Sharif to play his role in securing maximum votes for him.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Gilani said that Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif had assured him of his full support in the Senate polls. He said he would also meet Maryam Nawaz and other PDM leaders in this regard. “The victory will be that of democratic forces,” he said and added the government was already unnerved over his election.

To a question about his contact with disgruntled PTI leader Jehangir Tareeen to seek his support for his election, Mr Gilani said ‘no comments.”

He said the presidential ordinance was introduced for open ballot in the Senate polls despite the fact that only parliament could bring about any amendment to this law. This showed how much this government got unnerved, he said.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2021