Islamabad: In serious efforts to avert the dissolution of the provincial assemblies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, as announced by Imran Khan, the bigwigs of the ruling alliance — the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — met each other in Lahore on Sunday.
Prime Minister Shehbaz met PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat and reportedly discussed the option of re-launching efforts to woo back Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi by offering him to continue as CM with the help of PML-N and PPP’s support after ditching PTI.
وزیراعظم شہبازشریف کی مسلم لیگ (ق)کے صدر چوہدری شجاعت حسین کی لاہور میں رہائش گاہ آمد
وزیراعظم نےچوہدری شجاعت حسین کی خیریت دریافت کی
وزیراعظم نےچودھری شجاعت حسین کو پھولوں کا گلدستہ بھی پیش کیا
وزیراعظم شہبازشریف اور چوہدری شجاعت حسین نےسیاسی صورتحال پر بھی تبادلہ خیال کیا pic.twitter.com/iVPD1N0ZYZ— PMLN (@pmln_org) December 18, 2022
The meeting between PM Shehbaz and Chaudhry Shujaat came just a day after Imran Khan announced the date for the dissolution of the two provincial assemblies.
“We will sacrifice both assemblies,” Imran Khan announced that the two assemblies will be dissolved on December 23.
It is being speculated that Chaudhry Shujaat, as the President of the PML-Q, could also direct his MPAs to bar from voting for CM Parvez in case the governor asks him to take a vote of confidence.
Later in the day, former President Asif Ali Zardari also held a meeting with PM Shehbaz at the latter’s Model Town residence and discussed the outcome of his meeting with Chaudhry Shujaat.
سابق صدر اور پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے شریک چیئرمین آصف علی زرداری ماڈل ٹاؤن پہنچ گئے
وزیراعظم شہباز شریف نے سابق صدر آصف علی زرداری کی آمد پر ان کا استقبال کیا
دونوں قائدین ملکی معاشی و سیاسی صورتحال پر غور کریں گے pic.twitter.com/S1v6vSrKrI
— PMLN (@pmln_org) December 18, 2022
The two leaders also discussed various options available to them for preventing the Punjab Assembly’s dissolution. Asif Ali Zardari then left to meet the PML-Q president with some more options in his hand.
According to media reports, Zardari carried a new option for the CM – resign as chief minister to make ineffective and infructuous the signed summary he had handed over to Imran Khan for the dissolution of the assembly.
The reports suggest that this “surprise” step would also ensure that the assembly would remain intact at least until a new chief minister is elected, he said, adding the coveted office may again be offered to Mr Elahi or a person of his choice.
What if both assemblies are dissolved? | By Kanwar M Dilshad
