ISLAMABAD: Divided and bruised on many fronts, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would be reviewing its strategy today at a meeting for the upcoming general elections with the option of holding direct dialogue with the military establishment on the table.
Sources within the PML-N have confirmed to this newspaper that the top leadership of the party, especially the group vocal for holding direct talks with the military establishment headed by the party’s chief Shehbaz Sharif, has urged Nawaz to discuss the matter and devise a strategy.
“It’s a pity that Shehbaz Sharif is just a puppet and all decisions are taken by Mian Sahib,” said a source. “We have urged Mian Sahib to take a decision and revert the anti-establishment policy of the party as things are improving and Sharif family is reaping the benefits now.”
“We have asked Mian Sahib to bring an end to the anti-establishment rhetoric as we have suffered a lot due to this policy,” a PML-N leader told Pakistan Today, requesting not being identified due to sensitivity of the situation.
The source said that PML-N supremo Nawaz will attend an online meeting where the top leaders of the party would discuss a proposal for holding a dialogue with all stakeholders.
The source added that the party’s pro-establishment group leader Shehbaz and other senior leaders will present suggestions to Nawaz.
“This is a unanimous decision of the party’s senior lot and majority of the PML-N lawmakers have categorically advised Shehbaz Sharif that they cannot sit in the opposition after the next election and they cannot win without the blessings of the establishment,” the source said.
The source said that the next elections are around the corner and if their fight against the establishment continues, Imran Khan will be the ultimate beneficiary in the next polls too.
It merits mention here that Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz in a TV interview last week had floated the idea of a grand dialogue among all the stakeholders for working together for the progress of the country.
Shehbaz had said that he believed that his brother would be willing to play his part in the country’s progress “if there is a free, fair and transparent election, every institution operates within its respective domain, there is rule of law in the country and a roadmap is devised with the input of all stakeholders”.
When contacted, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb denied that any such meeting was being held.
