ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (Online): PDM Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani is joint candidate of PDM in Senate polls and the announcement for fielding Gillani as joint candidate has unnerved ruling party circles.
Responding to a question about neutral umpire he said it seems apparently that doubts about Daska and Kurram by polls are going towards them. Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani along with party workers and associates reached residence of Maulana Fazlur Rehman Monday and met him.
He requested Maulana for JUI-F cooperation for him in Senate polls.
Maulana Fazl said we are happy you have come here. This is your own home. Had you not come we would have cooperated fully to you.
Later talking to media men Maulana Fazl said Yous Raza Gillani is joint candidate of PDM and he will succeed.
Hafiz Sheikh is contesting election against Yousuf Raza Gillani from Islamabad. The economy has remained in his hands in every government. Today he is too Economic advisor to Prime Minister.
Common man is much disturbed at the hands of the inflation today, said questioning who is responsible for this price hike. The members should realize if such people are inducted then the country will go where.
He went on to say that Yousuf Raza Gillani like person has made the matter serious and it has to be made more serious. We will fight well and will win it.
Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani said he was grateful to all the component parties of PDM they had fielded him their joint candidate. I early was elected as consensus PM. I have launched my campaign and I have received good response.; This victory will be victory of democracy.
He held that the dignity of all the members of parliament has enhanced due to his participation in the Senate polls. Today Imran Khan is meeting all the MNAs, MPAs and ministers and I am the only reason for it.
Responding to a question he said he has not met Jahngir Tareen. He is my relative and there is no need to say any thing to him.
In reply to a question from the media after visiting the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief , the former PM said: “I am not Khan sahib’s spokesperson. But it seems like the establishment is totally neutral.” In comparison, other leaders of the PDM such as JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif have repeatedly accused the army of interfering in political matters.
PDM President and JUI-F chief Fazl met with former premier Gillani on Monday and both the leaders discussed the alliance’s chances in the National Assembly (NA).
The alliance plans to field Gillani as joint candidate of the PDM as chairman of Senate. However, sources in the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) say that the ruling coalition is comfortable with its numbers game and believe that the incumbent Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani would defeat any PDM nominee.
After the meeting, the JUI-F chief told media persons that the PDM is united in support of Gillani. He went on to claim that the PDM has 12 votes more than the required strength to win the Senate seat from the federal capital – a claim that the ruling alliance may challenge in the coming days. Fazl purported that, ever since the announcement of the former premier’s nomination, there has been panic in the government circles.
“The government is showing distrust and fear in its ranks. Gillani has also been our prime minister and, if he is elected as a senator, it will be a matter of honour for him. PDM stands united to support Gillani and we will fight this battle successfully,” asserted Fazl.
Gillani told the media that he was indebted to the PDM leadership for putting its trust in him and that he would try to meet their expectations.
The ex-PM recalled that he had been elected unopposed in 2008 to the NA, adding that even today he had kicked off his campaign with the same unanimous support from the PDM. He said that his win would be a victory of the democratic forces.
He said that he had amassed 264 votes while his opponent received 42, following which the opposition agreed to cast a vote of confidence in Gillani’s favour.
“I want to say that every member of the parliament is getting respect because of my candidacy. I would go to each and every PDM leader who are supporting me more than myself,” he said on the occasion.
PTI last week challenged the nomination of the former premier for Senate.
Fareed Rehman, a PTI Senate hopeful from Islamabad, had accused Gillani of concealing the facts in the papers. Gillani, he had said, failed to mention his conviction in a contempt of court case back in 2012.