LAHORE, Feb 16: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif discussed ‘joint pre- and post-poll strategies’ on Saturday and decided to meet again immediately after the February 18 general election.

“The two leaders discussed in detail strategies to stop the king’s party, the PML-Q, from stealing the Monday vote and decided, in principle, to work together even after the election – both in case the polls are rigged or the two parties obtain a simple majority,” a senior PPP leader told Dawn after the meeting at the Sharifs’ Jaati Umra residence.

Another central PPP leader said the “two parties will launch a joint nationwide protest if the elections are stolen. In case the two parties won a majority, they can form coalition governments at the centre and in Punjab”.

But, he said, the details of the post-poll strategy would be firmed up after the election. “The two parties have developed a consensus that they should work together whether they secure majority or whether the elections are rigged. The details will be finalised immediately after the vote,” he said.

PPP spokesman Farhatullah Khan Babar said it was not appropriate for him to discuss the details of the meeting unless the PML-N leader himself wanted to do so.

Talking to the electronic media, Nawaz Sharif said that if the election results were changed in favour of the PML-Q the opposition would not take it ‘lying down’, hinting at the possibility of a mass protest if the polls were rigged.

He said that it was impossible that the PML-N and the PPP would not obtain a simple majority in next week’s polls.

If the elections were manipulated and stolen, he said, it would have a disastrous effect on the federation. “We should not forget the Bangladesh experience,” he said.

PML-N leader Ishaq Dar told Dawn that the PPP leader had come to Jaati Umra for lunch. “It wasn’t a political meeting,” he said.

“The leadership of the two parties will meet again within a couple of days after the elections to discuss a future strategy. All decisions will be taken after discussion not only with the PPP but also with other (opposition) parties.”