Pakistan: Shahbaz Sharif govt to hold meeting over Nawaz's proposal to call for early polls

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will hold a special summit meeting of its allies today to discuss the suggestion of PML-N supremo, Nawaz Sharif to hold fresh polls in the country following a crushing defeat at the hands of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Punjab polls.
The meeting will be chaired by Maulana Fazal ur Rehman and Nawaz Sharif will address it via video, The News International reported, adding that the Quaid of the PML-N has worked out a strategic plan for giving up the government and it would be highlighted in today's meeting. The meeting will be attended by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Secretary General (PML-Q) Chaudhary Tariq Bashir Cheema, former Chief Minister KPK Akram Khan Durrani, Professor Ahsan Iqbal, PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar, JUI-F leader Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, ANP Amir Haidar Khan Hoti, Jamhoori Watan Party's MNA Zain Bugti, Aftab Ahmad Sherpao of Qaumi Watan Party, Mahmood Khan Achakzaie PkMAP, Khalid Maqbool Siddiquee of MQM-P, Khalid Magsi Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Mosin Dawar Pashttoon Tahaffauz Movement (PTM), Agha Hasan Baloch of Balochistan National party of Mengal and Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary of the PML-N, the sources said, explaining that the meeting will also discuss the situation regarding developments in Punjab in the wake of the ouster of the government from Punjab.
Well-placed political sources told The News here Wednesday that the judicial verdict in the Punjab government has compelled Nawaz Sharif to harden his position regarding dissolving National Assembly.
The PDM leadership will also discuss the conduct of the various institutions during the last four months as well as the economic meltdown in the country, the sources said.
Nawaz Sharif will be present in the meeting throughout through video while Asif Ali Zardari will also be linked to the deliberations, the sources added.
Nawaz Sharif urged about quitting the government at the Centre after Supreme Court declared Pervaiz Elahi as Punjab's Chief Minister in a recent verdict against the ruling of Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Dost Mohammed Mazari.
The top court declared Mazari's ruling in the Punjab chief minister's election "illegal" and ruled that PTI's candidate Pervaiz Elahi will be the new CM of the province.
The order then declared Elahi as the duly elected chief minister of Punjab as it ruled that he had obtained 186 votes compared to Hamza's 179.
Elahi was a joint candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the PML.
Mazari announced Shahbaz, son of Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, as the chief minister and said that the 10 votes of the PML were excluded since its Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain wrote a letter to his party members to vote for Shahbaz.
The court overruled the election of Shahbaz and declared Elahi the winner, following which the party observed a 'thanksgiving day'. (ANI)