Critical decisions expected at Nawaz-Shehbaz London huddle

LONDON: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said he looks forward to holding crucial talks with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other members of his cabinet in London today.

A "big decision" is on the cards as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will be meeting his elder brother and PMLN supremo in London today. Former PM Nawaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirmed that the London huddle would talk about the serious economic situation and attempt to find a way forward.

Speaking to the media here, Nawaz Sharif said he looked forward to meeting Shehbaz Sharif and others. He said the PTI government had left Pakistan in a deep economic mess and the meeting would discuss the current situation as well as the way forward. He said that thankfully Imran Khan’s PTI government was not there anymore after being ousted in a vote of no-confidence.

Nawaz Sharif said, “The PTI government has created a crisis in every sphere of the country. Imran Khan’s government harmed Pakistan in every possible manner, be it social, economic, cultural or political issues. Nothing like this ever happened before in the history of Pakistan. In the next election, the PTI’s chapter will be closed forever.”

When asked about former PM Imran Khan making references to Mir Jafar and treachery, Nawaz Sharif said: “Imran Khan has caused unprecedented havoc in the country and the kind of destruction he has left behind has never been seen before. Thankfully, he is gone and his destructive ways have been stopped.”

Ishaq Dar said the meeting in London was of critical importance as big decisions needed to be taken in relation to the economy. Dar ruled out early elections and said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had already said that elections before October were not possible.

Ex-prime minister Abbasi said that PM Shehbaz and other party leaders had requested Nawaz Sharif to call a consultative meeting. According to sources, Nawaz has to consult the party leadership over some important issues over which he has reservations and the PMLN is expected to make a "big decision," that is why he had rejected a proposal to have an online meeting.

Party sources said that during the meeting, a discussion on the strategy on the prices of petroleum products will be held with Nawaz Sharif and former finance minister Ishaq Dar. The discussion holds special importance as a delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is expected to begin talks with Pakistani officials in Doha on May 18. Moreover, decisions about power-sharing, the next general election, and the Punjab cabinet will also be taken during the meeting.

Last month, the PML-N supremo had met PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari — a key ally in the ruling coalition — in London to discuss ways forward after a "constitutional victory for democracy, the rule of law and supremacy of parliament". The two leaders agreed to work closely to "repair the rot across the board," read a joint statement. Earlier, the news of Shehbaz Sharif visiting London with a large number of his cabinet and PMLN colleagues was broken by Geo News.