PDM calls emergency meeting to discuss political strategy

Ruling coalition in hot waters with dissolution of Punjab, K-P assemblies inching closer

KARACHI:

The ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Friday called an emergency meeting as consultations between the senior leadership continued through the night and remained resolute that the National Assembly will not be dissolved and the government will push to complete its term.

The agreement of the ruling alliance comes after Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Thursday night advised Governor Balighur Rehman to dissolve the provincial assembly, fulfilling the promise to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and paving the way for fresh elections.

Shortly after the news broke, sources told The Express Tribune that the PDM leadership at the highest levels was making contacts to consult on the development.

Read Punjab’s hullabaloo

The leaders included PML-N President and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PPP Co-Chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari and Jamiat Ulema-e- Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman among others. Furthermore, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has also been consulted.

An emergency meeting of the ruling coalition leaders has been called at the earliest where the PDM's political strategy is to be decided.

The leadership is also to determine how the parties will participate in the elections should the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) provincial assemblies trigger early polls.

Sources say that the PDM leaders will also decide if a legal battle on the matter should be pursued. While legal experts are being consulted, Asif Ali Zardari has pushed for a "political solution" to the matter at hand.

Furthermore, the leaders have also expressed determination to remove all reservations expressed by the MQM-P.

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It has also been confirmed that the provincial assemblies of Sindh and Balochistan are not to be dissolved as of yet.

Important decisions are expected after the consultations are completed.

The PDM nonetheless remains resolute that general elections will be held as per schedule, revealed the sources.

Ruling coalition bamboozled

PTI Chairman Imran Khan has emerged victorious as Punjab CM Elahi has signed a summary for the dissolution of the provincial assembly as per his desire.

Despite strong pressure and other tactics, the PML-N-led federal government along with the ‘powerful circles’ were unable to refrain Elahi from taking a vote of confidence in the Punjab Assembly.

A senior PML-N leader told The Express Tribune that all efforts by his party to convince the PTI lawmakers to switch their loyalties had been in vain.

He also conceded that the Punjab CM taking a vote of confidence was a major surprise for his party.

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It has been learnt that Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman had considered the situation after Elahi taking a vote of confidence.

It was decided that the governor would accept the CM’s vote of confidence to avoid any judicial verdict, which might have curtailed his constitutional powers.

Political analysts are astonished that Elahi, who has a long-term association with the ‘powerful circles', stood with Imran’s stance on the dissolution of the PA.

A debate is also raging as to why Elahi went against the wishes of the ‘powerful circles’.

However, a PML-N lawyer told The Express Tribune that after the Lahore High Court hearing, the PML-Q had sent a message to his party to submit a vote of a no-confidence resolution against the CM to delay the dissolution of the assembly.

However, he added that the PML-N was not interested in opting for that move.