LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif discussed with the Punjab chief minister on Saturday the Azadi and Inqilab marches as well as a court order to register an FIR over the killing of 14 supporters of Dr Tahirul Qadri in Model Town on June 17.

The meeting took place at their Raiwind residence.

A senior PML-N leader told Dawn that the prime minister had been closely watching the marches, but “he is in no hurry to engage both Mr Khan and Mr Qadri in talks”.

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“Mr Sharif has decided to watch the sit-ins till Monday morning before taking a decision on forming a government committee to hold talks with them,” he said.

The PML-N chief had also asked his party men not to show nervousness or become panicky, he added.

The PML-N leader said: “The prime minister has discussed the sessions court’s order for registering an FIR on the complaint of the PAT at a time when supporters of Mr Khan and Mr Qadri are demanding his government’s ouster.”

The PAT had nominated 21 people, including the prime minister, the Punjab chief minister and some important members of the federal cabinet, in its application for registration of a murder case.

Meanwhile, talking to PML-N legislators, Shahbaz Sharif said the unconstitutional demands of both Imran Khan and Dr Qadri would not be accepted.

“The prime minister will not resign. The demand of resignation from an elected prime minister is undemocratic and unconstitutional,” he said.

“The collusion of Imran and Qadri is a conspiracy against the democratic system which will never succeed. Imran is demanding an unconstitutional technocrat government which is a violation of the court decision,” he said.

The chief minister said the tsunami march and so-called Inqilab march would flop.

“By not becoming part of negative and confrontational politics the people have proved that they will not allow anyone to create hindrance in the development process in the country,” he said, adding that the future of Pakistan was in democracy.

He said a solution to problems in politics was only found through dialogue and mutual understanding.

Shahbaz Sharif said a conspiracy to divide the nation had been hatched by launching the marches when the army was fighting a war against militants.

“Pakistan needs stability and not anarchy,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2014