Summons Federal Cabinet, coalition parties’ sessions tomorrow
ISLAMABAD
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a consultative meeting on Tuesday with federal ministers and special assistants of the PML-N as well as the attorney general for Pakistan on the Supreme Court’s proceedings on simultaneous elections across the country on the same day.
The meeting decided to take up the possibility of negotiations with PTI chief Imran Khan and boycott of a three-member bench of the Supreme Court hearing the Punjab elections matter in a meeting of the coalition parties.
Prime Minister Sharif consulted his close political associates and legal experts in Lahore on the SC hearing. He also discussed with his close party associates the current political and constitutional situation of the country as well as tomorrow’s scheduled meeting with leaders of coalition parties.
According to sources, federal ministers Khawaja Saad Rafique, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Azam Nazeer Tarar, special assistants Malik Ahmed Khan and Ahad Cheema were among those who attended the meeting.
On the other hand, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan briefed the prime minister on the Supreme Court case. Sources said the agenda of the meeting of the allied parties was also finalized.
The decision to negotiate or not with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will also be taken up in the allies’ meeting. A formal decision on whether to boycott the elections case being heard by the Supreme Court or become a party to it will be taken in the allies meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned the federal cabinet and the ruling coalition’s meeting on Wednesday (tomorrow) to discuss the political situation. “The federal cabinet will mull over the political situation and the matters related to holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces,” sources said.
The cabinet will also mull over the issues that surfaced during the consultative process among the political parties. The coalition huddle will also consult over the election and the consultative process with various political parties.
The meeting will likely to be given briefing on the economic situation and contacts with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over bailout package, sources said. Parliamentary leaders of the ruling coalition will attend the session, according to sources. “Detailed consultations are expected in the meeting over the political situation.
The PM will consult with the allies over talks with the PTI. It is to be noted here that the government has assured the Supreme Court over holding talks with the opposition over elections in two provinces on April 26 (tomorrow).
The Supreme Court – in its April 4 order – declared Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone elections to the Punjab Assembly till October 8 “unconstitutional” and fixed May 14 as new date.
The National Assembly later passed a resolution rejecting the three-member Supreme Court bench’s verdict on the Punjab polls, stating that it would not provide funds to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for polls.
