THREE-TIME Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari have reportedly met in the UAE to discuss and determine the timing of the next general elections in the country, as well as "their respective share" in the future government setup.
The meeting took place in Dubai on Monday (26) and aimed to reach a consensus on various crucial matters, including finalising names for the caretaker government and deciding on the distribution of key positions if their parties emerge victorious in the next elections, Pakistan's Dawn News reported.
Sources cited in the report stated that the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming general elections may soon be resolved after detailed discussions between the top leadership of the two main coalition partners in ruling coalition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), are concluded in the UAE.
It was decided that Sharif and Zardari would directly engage in talks on these issues instead of engaging in prolonged debates at a lower level, which would be time-consuming.
"The uncertainty surrounding the next general elections may end soon after detailed deliberations by the top leadership of the two main coalition partners in the federal government are concluded in the UAE," said the report, citing sources.
Pakistan, currently facing significant political and economic challenges, has initiated preparations for the general elections, with the recent meeting of the Election Commission. The PDM, comprising various opposition parties, is also confronting the challenge posed by former prime minister Imran Khan. The current National Assembly's term is set to conclude on August 12, and the fresh general elections must be conducted within 60 days as per the country's constitution.
An insider from PML-N revealed that the main agenda of the Sharif-Zardari meeting was to discuss elections in October or later. If the elections take place as scheduled, the caretaker government at the federal level would be chosen by PPP and PML-N, after consulting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, president of the PDM, the report said citing the sources.
The report mentioned that Monday's meeting was the first between the two sides, and it is anticipated that further discussions will take place until a consensus is reached on three major issues: the election date, the structure of the caretaker government, and whether to contest the elections independently or make seat adjustments.
Additionally, the controversy surrounding key appointments at two prominent national institutions, the National Database and Registration Authority and the Pakistan Cricket Board, will be addressed. The source stated that Sharif's daughter Maryam, Asif Ali Zardari's son Bilawal, and prime minister Shehbaz Sharif are all in Dubai and expected to participate in the ongoing discussions.
(With agency inputs)
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