Shahbaz, Nawaz to hold three hours long meeting in London

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is scheduled to have a three-hour long meeting with PML-N supremo and his elder Nawaz Sharif in London.

As per the details, PM Shahbaz Sharif will embark on a two-day visit to UK, during which he will represent Pakistan at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and meet the former premier.

Sources privy to the matter said that the premier will visit England this Sunday, a day after concluding his Uzbekistan visit, where he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Head of States (CHS) summit.

PM Shahbaz will return to Pakistan on Monday soon after attending the state funeral for the late Queen — who died at the age of 96 on September 8 at her Balmoral Castle residence.

During the meeting in London, PM Shahbaz is expected to brief Nawaz on the country’s economic and political situation.

The coalition government has not been able to achieve political and economic stability since its formation in April, while decisions like increasing petrol prices and soaring inflation have drawn criticism to Shahbaz Sharif's government.

Senior analyst Suhail Warraich had revealed — while speaking in the Geo News programme "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath" in late August — that Nawaz is neither satisfied with the performance of Shahbaz nor Finance Minister Miftah Ismail. Warraich said Nawaz wants Shahbaz to review his policies.

Warraich added that Nawaz repeatedly asked him to call on Shahbaz and ask him to revisit his economic policies. "Shahbaz should take the public into confidence about his economic policies," the journalist quoted the PML-N founder as saying.

Replying to a question regarding his meeting with Nawaz in London, Warraich said that Nawaz Sharif is absolutely unhappy with the economic policies of the incumbent government. He said Nawaz is not impressed by Miftah's performance.

The analyst quoted Nawaz as repeatedly saying: "I had already proposed to you not to form the government and go for the general elections." Warraich said: "It appears that Nawaz Sharif has made up his mind that he wants economic policy from Ishaq Dar alone."

Warraich said Nawaz wants Dar to work on the economy. He also said Nawaz doesn't seem to be reposing trust in Miftah as he [Nawaz] believes that the finance minister doesn't know much about economic policies.

Ruling coalition bigwigs hold call

Meanwhile, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Asif Ali Zardari, and Nawaz held a telephone contact Friday to discuss the ongoing political situation in the country.

The PDM leaders rejected PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s demand for immediate general elections and made it clear that the ruling alliance would go to general elections next year after economic stability and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.

They declared election date will not be given due to Khan’s long march. They vowed that scale of justice should be equal for all.

PDM head Fazl had telephoned the PML-N supremo and the PPP co-chairman.

Sources said the three leaders also discussed the strategy to counter Khan’s new protest call.