ISLAMABAD, Jan 4: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has sought support of major political parties to thwart Dr Tahirul Qadri’s plan to march on Islamabad on Jan 14 which was ‘an attempt to derail democracy’.

The prime minister called Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Friday and praised his party’s stance on the march.

According to an official handout, the prime minister also called Awami National Party President Asfandyar Wali Khan and met Pakistan Muslim League-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai.

The leaders are reported to have assured the prime minister of their support and said they would never allow anyone to derail democracy on the pretext of ‘reforms’ and ‘revolution’ and any such move would be foiled in a democratic manner.

But the Chaudhrys of Gujarat urged the prime minister to hold talks with Dr Qadri to settle the matter.

“Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf wants all democratic forces should line together against any attempt to sabotage democratic process,” Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Shafqat Jalil told Dawn.

On the issue of elections, the prime minister reassured the leaders that free, fair and transparent polls will be held on time.

His move to seek support of the opposition and other parties indicated that the government had been upset by Dr Qadri’s plan to gather ‘four million’ people in the capital and to turn it into a ‘Tahrir Square’ for bringing about a change in the existing system.

“The prime minister and Nawaz Sharif agreed that democracy was the way forward and the people of Pakistan would not allow any attempt to derail the democratic process,” Mr Jalil said.

The prime minister said restoration of democracy owed itself to arduous struggle of political forces.

Mr Jalil quoted the prime minister as saying: “The system needs continuity to evolve and it is a sign of political maturity that all the political forces are on the same page as far as the need for continuity of democratic system is concerned.”

He said the government was committed to holding fair, free and transparent elections as per law and the Constitution.

Mr Sharif said Pakistan had lived with the horrors of so-called slogans of revolutions and long marches.

He said the best way to ascertain people’s wishes was through the ballot.

Talking to Dawn, PML-N leader Pervez Rashid said Mr Sharif told the prime minister that the N-League would resist any action against democracy.

He said that not only the PPP and PML-N but all democratic forces also were united against Dr Qadri’s agenda “to harm the election process”.

Chaudhry Shujaat told Dawn that his party had supported the cause of Dr Qadri in a joint press conference held last on Tuesday but it had not announced that it would take part in the march.

“Benazir Bhutto staged a long march in 1993 and it was followed by Nawaz Sharif in 2009,” he said.

“We have advised the prime minister to hold dialogue with Dr Qadri so that the issue can be resolved amicably,” he said.

The official press release issued by the Prime Minister’s House said the PML-Q leaders assured the prime minister of their support to the government and conveyed their firm commitment to strengthen democracy.

During the telephonic conversation with the prime minister, the ANP chief said:

“Our goal is to establish sustainable democracy in the country.”

Reiterating his support for the coalition government, Mr Asfandyar Wali said any attempt to create hurdles in the democratic process was unacceptable.

ANP spokesman Zahid Khan said the party chief had urged the prime minister to stop Dr Qadri’s move by any means within the ambit of democracy.

“If Qadri’s supporters create a law and order situation in Islamabad the government will have to maintain peace at any cost,” he said.