PM Shehbaz to reveal ‘master plan’ tomorrow

Will take coalition partners on board ahead of announcement

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is all set to decide the future of the government tomorrow (Tuesday), as he will reveal a plan cobbled up in London during a meeting with PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif to steer the country out of the current political and economic crises.

A PML-N delegation, headed by Premier Shehbaz, met Nawaz in London last week where it was learnt that the party quaid had them swear their allegiance to him.

It is learnt that PM Shehbaz has convened a consultative meeting of the leaders of the three major coalition parties on Monday (today) at the Prime Minister House.

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The PM will have a meeting with senior MQM leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at 12:30pm. Shehbaz will meet Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Faz chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at 4:30pm and at 6:15pm, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

In the meetings, the PM will take the leaders of the three major parties into confidence during his visit to London and discuss the current political and economic situation.

The PM has also convened a combined meeting of the coalition parties’ leaders in Islamabad on Tuesday evening.

Sources said the government is ready to take difficult decisions but for the next three to four months all the coalition parties will have to own these decisions. “If the coalition does not agree to these difficult decisions, the government will go for elections.”

The government sources rejected the notion that there was an option under consideration to dissolve the assemblies immediately, adding that a meeting of the National Security Committee on the country's future was also expected.

During the meeting of the coalition partners, Shehbaz will present options for the future of the government – taking tough decisions and bearing their consequences for three to four months.

Shehbaz will tell the coalition parties that dissolving the assemblies in the current situation will not solve the economic problems. “If the assemblies break up, the caretaker government will be faced with a challenge of the worst economy,” the sources added.

The PM will tell the government allies that “subsidy cannot be given due to the IMF conditions” and as soon as the agreement is reached with the IMF, “friendly countries will openly help us”. After three to four months of hardship, the economy will stabilise.

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The government sources said that the final decision will be taken by the government only after the approval of all the coalition parties.

They said that the government would contact the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on electoral reforms and caretaker set-up. “If PTI does not cooperate, a decision will be taken by appointing an opposition leader.”

PM Shehbaz is expected to make decisions not in haste but with wisdom. “Talks will also be held with the military establishment regarding the future of the country.”