- PM Shehbaz likely to summon meeting of PDM allies this week.
- Both parties agreed that the National Assembly and the two provincial assemblies should be dissolved on August 9.
- Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Economic Affairs Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also attended the meeting.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari, along with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, held a second round of discussions within a week.
The main agenda was strategizing the dissolution of assemblies and the formation of a caretaker setup as the upcoming general elections approached, as reported by BOL News.
The key coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and PPP, reportedly agreed to dissolve the assemblies on August 8, four days before the mandated period expires. However, there has been no official confirmation of the dissolution date.
To put an end to speculation about the dissolution date of the National Assembly, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb, clarified that no decision had been made yet.
During the meeting, PM Shehbaz and Zardari discussed the current political scenario in the country and matters related to the upcoming polls. Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq also participated in the meeting.
This was the second meeting between the former president and PM Shehbaz Sharif within a week, with the first one held in Lahore the previous Saturday.
It was decided in the meeting that a joint meeting of the PDM and PPP, along with other coalition partners, would be convened within the next two days to determine the strategy for the dissolution of assemblies and the caretaker setup.
According to PM House sources, Finance Minister Dar suggested that these decisions should be made at the summit of the ruling alliance parties, a proposal endorsed by all participants.
Another topic of discussion was finalizing the selection process for the caretakers. While the PML-N was interested in appointing a political stalwart for the position, the PPP argued for considering a senior bureaucrat or former senior judge instead.
Both parties agreed that the National Assembly and the two provincial assemblies should be dissolved on August 9, three days before the mandated period ends. The final decision, however, will be made at the summit of the ruling alliance.
The meeting concluded without deciding on seat adjustments and a schedule for dissolving the National Assembly, Sindh, and Balochistan provincial assemblies. These decisions were left to the provincial leadership of the two parties, as they have a better understanding of the ground situation.
PM Shahbaz and Zardari will further discuss the outcomes of Tuesday’s meeting with their respective leaders.
