ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday held a meeting with disgruntled Members of National Assembly (MNAs) today (Monday) and discussed matters related to the Senate election, which is scheduled to take place on March 3.
As per details, the meetings were held at Prime Minister’s Chamber at the Parliament House with an aim to address the concerns of the lawmakers. The MNAs, who called on the PM Imran, included Gul Dad Khan, Gul Zafar Khan, Jawad Hussain, Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, and Sajid Khan.
Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Noor ul Haq Qadi and Special Assistant Malik Muhammad Amir Dogar were also present during the meeting.
Sources have informed that the premier has assured the disgruntled lawmakers that their issues would be resolved immediately. The ruling party is making hectic efforts to ensure the victory of Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, who is contesting the election from the Islamabad seat.
Meanwhile, the top leadership of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had also reached Islamabad and will stay there till Senate Elections.
Earlier on Saturday, the PPP offered the MQM-P two Senate seats from Sindh and in return it sought votes for Yusuf Raza Gilani, the PDM’s candidate from Islamabad.
Sindh Minister Nasir Shah told reporters after the talks with the MQM-P that the PPP was prepared to get MQM candidates elected from Sindh without contest in return for government ally’s votes for Gilani in the National Assembly. MQM’s Faisal Sabzwari said the discussion on the Senate elections had nothing to do with the ruling coalition.
However, a major political breakthrough was achieved in Peshawar, where the provincial leaders of the PDM parties plus the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) huddled together. They agreed to join ranks and decided to field five joint opposition candidates.
The PPP received another boost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as Senator Shamim Afridi and provincial assembly member Amjad Afridi announced their joining of the PPP during a rally addressed by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday.
This year, a total of 48 senators – 12 each from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, 11 each from Punjab and Sindh, and two from Islamabad – will be elected on March 3.
