LAHORE: PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujat Hussan and Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi met Tehrik-i-Minhajul Quran leader Dr Tahirul Qadri at his residence here on Friday evening to persuade him to hold talks with them on his agenda and the march on Islamabad.

“We will not call off the long march and hold talks with the government after reaching Islamabad,” Dr Qadri told reporters after the meeting with the PML-Q leaders. In the meantime, he said, they would do the homework to complete the charter of demands.

He said the meeting with PML-Q leaders marked the beginning of the talks.

Chaudhry Shujat said he would try to get Dr Qadri’s charter of demands implemented through talks.

He said he had been empowered by the government to begin talks with Dr Qadri. “We were empowered by a meeting presided over by President Ali Zardari in Karachi on Thursday to initiate talks.”