LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has asked members of its parliamentary group in the Punjab Assembly to gather in Lahore before the contentious confidence vote against the chief minister and motions of no-trust it has moved against the speaker and his deputy.
Reports citing sources said the prime minister is expected to chair a meeting of the parliamentary party in the first week of January to discuss the votes of confidence.
Shehbaz Sharif will also brief his MPs on the plan of action in the legislative assembly. Suggestions on the political situation would also be sought from the PML-N lawmakers in Punjab.
Though the recent order of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has provided an opportunity for stakeholders to review their political agendas, the political turmoil seems to be far from over.
The ruling alliance in Punjab, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), intend to dissolve the legislature to force snap elections in the country.
In response, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government in the Centre is simultaneously throwing a gauntlet to the Punjab government to go ahead with its plan while making every effort to prevent the house from being dissolved.
The country, specially Punjab, has been embroiled in a political and constitutional crisis since November 26 when former prime minister Imran Khan announced at a public gathering he’d dissolve the parliaments in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Initially, the government said it would go to any limit to stop the dissolution from happening but then shifted gears and challenged the PTI to go ahead with the plan, announcing that elections would be held in two provinces in case the party went for it.