As the major opposition parties in Punjab accelerated their efforts to save the provincial assembly from dissolution. The main opposition in Punjab province including PML-N and PPP have agreed to establish contacts with disgruntled PTI lawmakers to preempt the ruling party’s move to dissolve the Punjab Assembly. Yesterday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP senior leader Asif Ali Zardari also met for the second time in eight days and discussed ways to prevent the possible political crisis in the province.

The much-awaited and scheduled meeting between Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and PTI chief Imran Khan could not take place even on Wednesday. Earlier PA Speaker Sibtain Khan went to see PTI Chairman Imran Khan, giving rise to speculation that he carried a message from the CM counselling restraint and not to rush into dissolving the provincial assembly. On Monday, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry had said Mr Elahi would meet Mr Khan in the run up to finalising a date for dissolution of the Punjab Assembly.

However, the CM’s son, PML-Q leader Moonis Elahi, denied the meeting was scheduled for Tuesday. On the other hand, talking to a TV channel, PML-Q leader Kamil Ali Agha hinted that all was not perfect between his party and the PTI. “We are two different parties, and do not have to necessarily agree on everything. The Q-League has its own preferences when it comes to dealing with the army. We respect the institution and will continue doing so.

No one should misread this preference,” he insisted. On the other side of the political aisle, PPP Punjab parliamentary leader Hasan Murtaza called on Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz at the PML-N office in Model Town here and discussed ways to deal with PTI chief Imran Khan’s proposed plan to have the provincial assembly dissolved. Hamza reportedly told Murtaza that the PML-N had a few options to stall the dissolution and that both opposition parties needed to try to win over ‘disgruntled’ PTI lawmakers.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP