Nawaz Sharif tasks PM Shehbaz to consult allies over fresh elections

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has tasked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to form a consensus among allies for a fresh election to deal with economic woes, ARY NEWS reported.

According to sources privy to the matter, the three-time prime minister asked Shehbaz Sharif to tell allies that they needed a fresh mandate to stabilize the economy.

“Long term government is needed to reach out to international lenders and make big economic decisions,” the elder Sharif said and added that tough decisions could only be taken once being assured that they could be reverted in a timely manner.

نوازشریف نےPMکواتحادیوں کو انتخابات پر امادہ کرنےکا ٹاسک دیا.سخت فیصلےاسوقت کیےجاتےہیں جب تدارک بھی ہو، فیصلےکروانے ہیں توپھر یقین دہانی انتخابات 2023میں ہوں گے،اگرعمران خان کو کنٹرول نہیں کیاجاسکتا تو پھرہمیں فوری انتخابات میں جانا ہوگا، نوازشریف۔ فیصلہ اتحادیوں کی آمادگی پر ہوگ pic.twitter.com/kQyA7j9dZ4

— Naeem Ashraf Butt (@naeemashrafbut3) May 16, 2022

Nawaz Sharif further asked Shehbaz to secure guarantees that if they take tough measures then their government would be allowed to complete the incumbent tenure. “If Imran Khan could not be controlled then we should have to move towards a fresh election,” he said.

The sources within PML-N said that a final decision on fresh elections would only be taken after consulting allies and taking them into confidence. “A coalition government under a similar arrangement could be made after fresh elections in the country,” they said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will hold a consultative session with government allies today and take them into confidence about the decisions taken during his meeting with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in London.

The prime minister reached Islamabad at 9:30pm on Sunday after his visit to the United Kingdom as well as the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Sources privy to the development told ARY News that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Jamiat-e- Ulema Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convener Khalid Maqbool Siddique will meet Shehbaz Sharif at PM House.

In the meeting, the prime minister will take participants onboard with regard to decisions made by PML-N leadership in London.