Asif Zardari calls on PM Shehbaz to discuss country’s political situation

LAHORE: Former President and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari called on Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore, ARY News reported on Saturday.

As per details, the two leaders held a detailed consultation on the country’s political situation.

Sources said that both leaders agreed on holding general elections on time, they also discussed the situation regarding the caretaker setup.

They agreed to end the assembly’s tenure on the completion of it constitutional tenure. PM Shehbaz will take other parties of PDM in confidence regarding this matter.

Sources revealed that the former president and PM Shehbaz consulted about senior politician as caretaker prime minister.

Furthermore, the dissident PTI members are also expected to join PPP after meeting the former president and he will also meet the PPP candidates in his four-day stay in Lahore.

As the assemblies are nearing to complete their tenure, fissures being surfaced in the ruling coalition. The PPP is likely to revisit its political strategy and alliances for the next election, particularly in the strategically most important province of Punjab.

The last session of the National Assembly is expected to be summoned by the next week. The assemblies will complete their five-year tenure on August 13.

A key legislation about amendments in the Election Act 2017 and electoral reforms, which has been under the hammer now will likely be the final piece of the legislation that will be passed by the current lower house, sources said.