LAHORE, May 10: A central vice-president of the ruling PML on Thursday advised his own party, its coalition partner MQM, and Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to call off their respective rallies, scheduled to be held in Islamabad and Karachi on Saturday, to deescalate the growing tension.

Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo also asked the government to initiate dialogue with the chief justice as well as all major opposition parties and their exiled leaders to create harmonious atmosphere for free, fair and transparent elections.

Talking to reporters at his residence, Wattoo said efforts should also be made for unification of various factions of the Pakistan Muslim League, burying the bitterness of the past.

Wattoo said polarisation would go up in case the rallies were held as scheduled as a single unexpected incident could take the situation out of control of all stakeholders. And since keeping the situation normal was one of the major responsibilities of the government, those at the helm should take the initiative to bring down the political temperature, suggested the former Punjab chief minister.

He recalled that the late prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo had faced a similar situation which he tackled very wisely as a result of which confrontation between the government and the opposition had been averted. The PML and the PPP had decided to hold public meetings at Minar-i-Pakistan at the same time and the same day. Everybody feared a clash between the two rival parties because of which Mr Junejo called off the PML meeting, allowing the PPP to go ahead, Wattoo said.

He said in the prevailing tense situation all three rallies should be postponed and the Supreme Court should be allowed to decide the presidential reference according to the Constitution. The integrity and patriotism of the apex court judges should be trusted, he said, adding that the tradition of mounting street pressures in such situations be discontinued.

The PML leader said neither side should be concerned about its victory or defeat and instead hold the national interest above their personal one.

Wattoo disclosed that he had expressed the desire to call on the CJP with whom he had some personal relationship. However, the party leadership did not allow him and thus he gave up the plan.

Referring to a report in a section of the press about a ‘chance meeting’ between the CJP and Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro, the PML leader said talks should be held with Justice Chaudhry to resolve the judicial crisis. He said since the crisis had also become political in nature, there was no harm in employing some political means to settle it.

In his opinion dialogue was the best option in the prevailing situation.

Replying to a question, Wattoo said talks should also be held with the PPP, the PML-N, the MMA and the PTI about the next general elections and the election of President Pervez Musharraf.

He said these parties should also react positively to the talks offer.

The PML leader said talks with the PPP were already going on and now the government should also include other parties in the dialogue process.

He said he along with his family had suffered at the hands of the PML-N leadership, but was still putting aside his ego and proposing a dialogue with it in the larger national interest.