ISLAMABAD Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, besides being swayed away in the controversy triggered by the statement of MQM Quaid Altaf Hussain regarding military rule, has prevailed upon the leadership of both Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement to stop throwing barbs on each other. Sources aware of the development informed that Premier Gilani had talked to the leadership of both the parties and requested them to stop indulging in this controversy and devote their energies for the relief and rehabilitation of millions of flood-affected people across the country. It was due to the role of the Premier Gilani that both Mian Nawaz Sharif and Altaf Hussain had refrained their party leaders and activists from giving statements on the issue and things were on way to calm down. Sources in the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) informed that Nawaz Sharif had asked his party men to stop giving provocative statements against the MQM and the press conference of Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Ch Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday was reflection of that where Nisar had taken a bit softer posture contrary to his normal aggressive demeanour. On the other hand, MQM leadership had also directed their party leaders not to lock their horns with PML(N) over the martial law controversy and let the tempers cool. The sources in the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) informed that the statement of Ch Nisar that they would withdrew their privilege motions in case Altaf Hussain would withdraw his statement showed that September 2 session of the National Assembly would not see any turbulence and things would settle down in due course. Sources in the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party informed that they believed that at this very critical time when one-fourth of the countrys land was devastated by the floods rendering over 20 million people homeless, all the political forces should forge unity and work for the rehabilitation of these flood-affected people, otherwise the whole political dispensation would be discredited. Sources further said that this was the motive behind the move of Prime Minister Gilani who had stepped quickly to calm down the things from further deterioration as both MQM and PML(N) had started washing their dirty linen in the open following the triggering of the controversy over the statement of Altaf Hussain.