LAHORE - PPP has said in categorical terms that after it has taken a clear public position against the PTI’s long march, it was not in a position to play the role of mediation between the government and the PTI to dissuade the latter from its planned agenda.
“Since the PPP has taken a public position against the long march and the mid-term polls, it should be considered a restraining influence on the PTI; and as such, there is no need for behind the scene mediation by the party”, said PPP’s spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar. 
In an interview to The Nation the other day, Federal Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid had claimed that he was confident that the PPP including ANP, JUI-F and JI would jump into arena to defuse the current political tension through mediation.
However, Babar told The Nation that PML-N had not contacted the PPP leadership to play any mediatory role to avert the planned long march by the PTI. Asked if the PPP would consider PML-N’s request for mediation, he said that mediation essentially involved behind the scene efforts, but PPP was not in a position to play such a role after its stated position on the issue in question.
“Neither we have been approached for this purpose nor do we have any intention to act as mediator”, Senator Babar clarified.
He said that despite serious reservations over the results of May 11 elections, the PPP accepted the results. “Though we support PTI’s demand for recounting of ballots in four constituencies, but we don’t endorse audit of the entire election results”, he said, adding that PPP also did not endorse the PTI’s demand for mid-term polls.
He said PPP wanted the PML-N to complete its five-year term.
Babar also made it clear that though the PPP was supportive of PTI’s demand for recounting in the four constituencies, but at the same it also wanted the same to be done in accordance with the law and the Constitution. He added that as per the legal position, only the election tribunals had the authority to order audit of the election results.
Secretary General, JI, Liaqat Baloch, JUI-F spokesperson Jan Achakzai and ANP leader Senator Haji Adeel told this correspondent that PML-N had not contacted their leadership for mediation. They, however, said that their parties would formulate their response if the government sought their help.