ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of the coalition partners today (Tuesday) to discuss the country’s political situation in the context of the ongoing hearing of the polls delay case at the Supreme Court.
The meeting will also discuss the Jamaat-e-Islami’s efforts to end the political deadlock between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by inviting them to negotiate the issues, according to the sources. The meeting will be held at 3:30 p.m. at the PM House. The huddle will take important decisions in this regard.
The sources shared that the PM will consult the allied parties after the meeting with Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq — who has offered to host an all-parties conference after the Eid ul Fitr to end the impasse between the government and Imran-led PTI.
The issue of the apex court’s order to release Rs21bn for elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will also be taken up. The SBP was directed by the top court to release funds directly to the ECP by April 17 (yesterday) and submit a report in this regard on April 18 (today). However, the National Assembly once again rejected the motion to grant permission to the SBP to release the funds.
A day earlier on Monday, a three-member delegation of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) held separate meetings with PML-N, Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid and Balochistan Awami Party. During the meeting with the PML-N leaders, former premier and Senator Yousuf Raza Gilani said the situation is tense and added the collision amongst the institutions was not in the country’s interest.
Talking to the media persons here after meeting with the ANP leaders, former premier Gilani said they were holding talks on the instructions of former president Asif Ali Zardari and party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. “The PPP wants to develop a conducive environment for dialogue among the political parties as all the issues being faced by the county will be addressed through dialogue,” he added.
