In a clear reference to Dr Tahirul Qadri’s long march, former premier Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday his party, the PML-N, would foil the conspiracy being hatched to get the next elections postponed under the garb of electoral reforms and accountability.

Continuity of democracy is the right of the people and the PML-N would not let anyone snatch it under the garb of accountability or reforms,” Nawaz asserted as he called for immediate announcement of the elections schedule in order to overcome the prevailing uncertainty. Nawaz, however, said that the workers of Minhajul Quran should be given free hand for the long march.Speaking to his party members during a meeting held to review the overall political situation and purpose behind Qadri’s January 14 long march, the former premier said the nation had been gearing up for a peaceful and democratic change in the country and in this scenario, those who wanted to damage the system through undemocratic means could hardly be friends or well-wishers of the country. 

He said that first time in 65 years of the country, the nation was going to re-elect its representatives through the ballot and to have the government of its choice. “It is quite obvious to the nation that which elements were backing those who were pursuing the agenda of adventurism and also that the same people had been the right hand of the dictators in the past.” The PML-N chief maintained that in the current situation, the country could not afford any uncertainty about the elections or anything else and those who had been trying to derail democracy were not only undemocratic themselves but were also encouraging dictatorship.

“These elements even want to put future of the country at stake,” he added. With just weeks to the next elections, said the former premier, the politics of adventurism to the Federal Capital could go to advance the agenda of undemocratic forces and could not be means of any reforms. He said the people hoped that every state institution played its role within its constitutional ambit as well as according to the law. He contended that the people were justified to think at this juncture that through a conspiracy they were being deprived of electing a government of their choice that also reflected the national aspirations. 

Among others the meeting was also attended by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, Parvez Rasheed. Meanwhile, Jamhoori Wattan Party head Talal Bugti will meet Nawaz Sharif at Raiwind on Thursday (today). The meeting is being termed as very important in the background of the situation in Balochistan, upcoming elections and broadening of anti-PPP platform and the political heat created by the long march of Dr Tahirul Qadri.