Senate polls: Nawaz assures Zardari of PML-N's support for Yusuf Raza Gilani

• The two leaders spoke to each other on the phone
• Sources say Yusuf Raza Gilani separately spoke to Nawaz Sharif
• Zardari, Sharif also discussed the PDM's long march to Islamabad

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Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday offered full support to PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari for Yusuf Raza Gilani, the PDM’s joint candidate for the Senate polls from Islamabad, sources told Geo News.

Nawaz assured Zardari of his party’s support in a telephone call between the two leaders. Sources also said that the former president then told Gilani to speak to the PML-N supremo separately.

Apart from the Senate elections, the two leaders also spoke about the PDM’s upcoming long march to Islamabad.

Read more: PTI challenges nomination papers of PDM candidate Yusuf Raza Gilani

Gilani had earlier been named as the PDM’s joint candidate from Islamabad.

The PTI had tried to block Gilani's bid for the Senate seat through the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). They had asked the body to reject the nomination papers of the former prime minister on the basis of his earlier disqualification from office.

However, the ECP had rejected the objection raised by the PTI and accepted Gilani's papers.

Gilani has been proposed as a candidate by former PPP prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. His candidature was seconded by former PML-N prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Read more: ECP rejects PTI's objection over Yusuf Raza Gilani's nomination papers

Gilani, who was prime minister from 2008 till 2012, had been removed from office after he was convicted by the SC for contempt of court. The campaign against him had been spearheaded by the PML-N.

The SC had handed down a symbolic punishment lasting less than a minute to Gilani and disqualified him from holding public office.