PML-N to strategise sending PM home in today’s meeting

ISLAMABAD: The major opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) would hold a significant meeting of its central executive committee (CEC) on Monday evening, in which the strategy to oust the incumbent government would be approved as PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif would provide guidance to the party members.

The PMLN president and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif, hosted a lunch for PPP leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday at his Model Town Lahore residence, where the two parties decided to bury hatchets for removing the Imran-led government through a vote of no-confidence.

They also worked out details of the no-trust move and subsequent actions. The plan has been agreed by Nawaz Sharif who asked Shehbaz Sharif for inviting the PPP leaders and later asked to summon the CEC meeting on an emergency basis.

Well-placed diplomatic sources told The News on Sunday that the PMLN would take up the scheme for no-confidence in the summit of the PDM later. The summit will take place before the end of the week. It will be chaired by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who has been supporting the idea of no-trust vote against the government.

The sources said that the PMLN’s central executive meeting would be held through a video link with Shehbaz Sharif in the chair. The members of the committee were informed about the meeting on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the opposition groups in the Parliament have been asked to be available on a short notice for rushing to Islamabad throughout the month. The members, who are out of the country, have also been asked to return home at the earliest, the sources said. Earlier, in a series of tweets, the PMLN said that Shehbaz Sharif telephoned the party’s chief Nawaz Sharif who is in London these days and consulted him on the proposals raised by the PPP leaders.

The PMLN said that after consulting Nawaz, Shehbaz decided to summon a meeting of the party’s exalted body’s meeting. The PMLN said that Shehbaz Sharif told Fazl that he would take him into confidence on the meetings, when he sees him in the coming days. Both the leaders also agreed to call a PDM meeting over the issue.

The PMLN said that the date of the PDM’s meeting will be announced after consultations. It is pertinent to mention that former president Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reached the residence of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif for a luncheon meeting on Saturday.

Following the meeting, the PPP and PMLN agreed to use all legal and political options at their disposal to dismiss the incumbent PTI-led government. PMLN Vice President Maryam Nawaz and PMLN leader Hamza Shehbaz Sharif were also present in the meeting. Shehbaz welcomed the father-son duo at his residence while ensuring all the Covid-19 SOPs were observed.

Shehbaz Sharif had called Bilawal on Friday and invited him for a luncheon meeting on the instructions of Nawaz Sharif. The sources privy to the meeting between the PMLN and PPP leaders said that both the parties have agreed to move a no-confidence motion against National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser but the timing will be agreed upon later.

On the other hand, the sources said, Bilawal and Zardari visited Shehbaz’s residence to discuss their long march against price hike and highlight sufferings of the masses. The two sides also took each other into confidence about the PTI members who are willing to take part in the vote of no-trust against the party leadership, the sources added. The PMLN leadership will brief the media after the CEC meeting on Monday evening, the sources said.