Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given instructions to correct the irregularities found in the voter lists of citizens of Sindh, especially Karachi, saying bluntly that elections will not be conducted on the basis of the old census, according to a Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan spokesperson.
The development came during a meeting of the MQM-P delegation with Premier Shehbaz at the PM House on Wednesday.
The delegation led by party Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui included Federal Minister for Information Technology Syed Aminul Haque, Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori, Dr Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal.
Minister for Railways and Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafique and Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq were present at the meeting.
According to the MQM-P spokesperson, Prime Minister Shahbaz bluntly told the delegation that the decision to conduct the elections on the basis of the old census had not been taken.
The spokesperson said that Prime Minister Shehbaz issued directives for correcting the irregularities found in the voter lists of citizens of Sindh, especially in Karachi.
The prime minister, according to the spokesperson, has assured the delegation of consultation with the MQM-P at every stage of all important decisions.
The spokesperson said that MQM-P was an important coalition party with which the prime minister had formed a committee to ensure consultation.
“The committee will ensure consultation with the MQM-P on all matters, including the new elections and the caretaker government,” the spokesperson quoted PM Shehbaz as saying.
Ayaz Sadiq, Ahsan Iqbal and Khawaja Saad Rafique would be included in the advisory committee, he added.
The delegation paid tribute to the prime minister for personally monitoring the federal government’s ongoing projects in Karachi and ensuring speedy work on a priority basis.
The MQM-P delegation also praised the premier and his economic team's efforts in completing the agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
PM Shehbaz continued his marathon meetings to thrash out a consensus on the timing of the upcoming general elections as well as the shape of the caretaker government that would oversee the polling process.
In a meeting with former president Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held at the PM House on Tuesday, the leaders discussed the overall political situation in the country and consulted about the caretaker set-up.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Economic Affairs Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq were also present during the meeting.
According to sources, it was decided during the meeting that other coalition parties would also be consulted.
Meanwhile, sources have told The Express Tribune that no decision had been taken yet to dissolve the National Assembly, adding that it would come after consultation with the coalition parties.
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