I did not agree to dissolve assemblies on March 19: Shahbaz Sharif

He mentioned the points of discussion during the one-on-one meeting with the premier.

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday that he did not agree to dissolve assemblies on March 19.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, he said, “Our party (PML-N) would like to hold elections in the entire country on the same day and for that there were few requirements that I candidly conveyed to the Prime Minister.”

He mentioned the issues discussed during his one-on-one meeting with the premier.

Deadlock on interim premier

Shahbaz criticised the government for planning with its coalition partners in Sindh and Balochistan to orchestrate a scenario where friendly caretaker set-ups can be brought in.

"Those people should be named for the interim prime minister, who are honest and well-respected," Sharif said.

The Punjab chief minister further added that when nominating the caretaker prime minister, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other parties should be consulted and a decision should be taken after consensus is reached.

“We have offered to the PPP that if they have better names than our nominees, on whom all stakeholders agree, then we are ready to consider them,” Shahbaz said.

"I advise the PPP government not to bring such people in for the interim set-up because of which the people stop trusting the election."

He added that the upcoming elections are not routine elections, "these polls will be make or break for Pakistan."

Of Balochistan, Shahbaz urged that the PML-N and the nationalist parties should be consulted before naming the interim government, otherwise the estranged nationalists will be pushed to the wall.