Zardari convenes ‘emergency meeting’ of PPP Punjab ministers

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan President and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has convened an emergency meeting of Punjab ministers belonging to his party on Friday.

According to sources, the coalition issue would be discussed during the meeting at Awan-e-Sadar, Geo TV reports.

They will also discuss the party’s future political strategy following the decision of PML-N over the alliance with PPP in the provincial government.

A Pakistan Muslim League - N (PML-N) meeting also took place on Friday, which was presided by party chief Nawaz Sharif. The meeting considered recommendations on its relations with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

According to reports, the PML-N is likely to oust the PPP from the Punjab Government, as a majority of party members called for its removal from the provincial government, Samaa TV reported.

Earlier on Thursday, Islamabad witnessed a flurry of meetings as the PPP government kicked into action to avert the PPP-PML-N divorce in Punjab, which the PML-N has been threatening.

In the evening, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif held a detailed meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, during which they focussed on the PML-N’s 10-point reform agenda, the delayed accountability bill on which the two parties do not see eye-to-eye and NRO-related issues, according to insiders.

The official handout issued after the meeting said that Gilani told the PML-N leadership: “Supreme national interests demand sagacity as well as continuance of engagements through dialogue among all the political forces of the country to provide a solid base for strengthening democratic institutions”.

After his interaction with the PML-N, the prime minister went to the Presidency and updated Zardari about the meeting. (ANI)