Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo, Nawaz Sharif, in London on Sunday, September 18.
According to media reports, both brothers had a thorough discussion on various matters, ranging from a time frame of general elections, to the appointment of the next army chief and to the Punjab government.
The Sharif brothers agreed that the present coalition government will complete its constitutional term. Despite being under pressure from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to announce snap polls, PML-N leadership decided that general elections “should be held at the stipulated time”.
Both Nawaz and Shehbaz pondered over making changes to the Punjab government, and the name of former Chief Minister Punjab and son of Shehbaz, Hamza Shehbaz, among other possible candidates, was considered for the post of the province’s chief minister. The provincial capital of Lahore has been awash with rumors of a change within Punjab parliament that could derail PTI and PML-Q coalition government.
The matter of important appointments due in November also came under discussion, including the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). The current COAS, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, is due for retirement at the end of November this year.
The Sharifs had a three-hour meeting at Hussain Nawaz’s office in Stanhope House. The meeting, the brothers’ second in London since Shehbaz became PM, was also attended by former finance minister Ishaq Dar and Shehbaz’s son Suleman.
According to reports, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb did not participate in the meeting.
