LAHORE - Senior PPP leaders including former Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani have advised the PML-N government to deal with the current political situation in a political way to keep democracy on the track.
“There would be no danger to democracy if the government handles the protest calls of PTI and PAT) in line with the democratic principles”, Gilani said here on Sunday while talking to the media at an iftar dinner hosted by the management of a private TV channel.
He was of the view that if the government felt threatened by the protest movement announced by Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri, it meant that country’s institutions were weak. Gilani said that Imran Khan was a leader and it was the job of leaders to protest on issues of public concern.
“I also used this political mean for the welfare of the public, and so did Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the past”, he said.
On the same occasion, Makhdoom Amin Fahim asked the government to give due consideration to PTI’s demand for recounting of ballots in the four constituencies.
“If the government is confident that no rigging took place on May 11, it should order audit of election results”, he said, adding, that former President Zardari’s statement in this regard was realistic.
Amin Fahim did not see any chaotic situation on August 14th except for some minor political activity.
To a question, he said mid-term polls were not in sight.
Answering another question, the PPP leader said he was not in the know how of any contact established between the PPP and the PTI in the recent past.
He also said that environment was not conducive for converging together of all Opposition parties on a single platform. However, he hurried to add that nothing was final in politics.  He expressed his reservations over the way the PML-N was running the government affairs.
In democracy, he said, one has to be tolerant. “The PPP exhibited tolerance throughout its five-year tenure and it was due to this that smooth transfer of power from one political government to another one was made possible”, he stated.
Amin Fahim said that PPP was performing the role of friendly Opposition only to keep democracy on the track. “But despite friendly gestures shown by PPP, cases were being reopened against its leaders”, he said.
Meanwhile, PPP leader Jahangir Badar warned the government against using State power to stop the long march on August 14th. “If the government did so then the demands will go beyond mid-term elections.
He said it would be a bad political decision on the part of government to bring the Army to a public procession at D-Chowk on the occasion of Independence Day. He said that the PML-N was facing political isolation at the moment.
PPP DOESN’T SUPPORT VOTE RECOUNT DEMAND: KHURSHEED
INP from Islamabad adds: Opposition leader Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah said in a media conference on Sunday that Pakistan People's Party did not support the demand for vote recount.
Speaking to media, Khursheed Shah said the government shouldn't bar protests and long marches.
“Pakistan People's Party doesn't support the PTI's demand for vote recount in four constituencies,” he said.
Khurshid further remarked that since Pakistan had accepted existence of terrorists in the country, so USA would continue with the drone attacks.
On the other hand, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, senior vice chairperson of Pakistan People's Party, while talking to the media said it's not possible for the opposition to be on the same page in the current circumstances. The protests by opposition would not be beneficial for democracy.
He said that though he was not satisfied with the performance of current government, he wanted sustainability of democratic process in the country.
Referring to Tahirul Qadri, Amin Fahim said he always returned on his own will.