Pakistan

PM Shehbaz to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, meet Nawaz in London

Published

2 years ago

Farwa

PM Shehbaz Sharif to embark on two-day visit Sunday.
PM expected to brief Nawaz Sharif on political situation.
PDM bigwigs hold call to discuss anti-Imran Khan strategy.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will embark on a two-day UK visit during which he will represent Pakistan at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and meet PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

People familiar with the matter told Geo News 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.

The prime minister is scheduled to have a three-hour long meeting with the elder Sharif on the day he touches down in the country. He will spend a busy day in the UK capital attending a number of engagements.

PM Shehbaz 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.

The coffin of the late monarch has been lying at the historic Westminster Hall since Wednesday.

Some 750,000 people in total are expected to file past the coffin ahead of the state funeral on Monday which presidents, prime ministers, royalty and other world leaders are due to attend.

US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of Australia, Canada and Jamaica will join the emperor of Japan among the congregation.

Shehbaz-Nawaz meeting

During the meeting in London, PM Shehbaz is expected to brief Nawaz — his elder brother and PML-N supremo — 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 Shehbaz Sharif’s government.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (left) meets PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif at the Avenfield flats in London, on May 11, 2022. — PML-N

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 Shehbaz nor Finance Minister Miftah Ismail. Warraich said Nawaz wants Shehbaz to review his policies.

Warraich added that Nawaz repeatedly asked him to call on Shehbaz and ask him to revisit his economic policies. “Shehbaz 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.

PDM 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.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif. — Twitter/AFP/Online

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.

Latest News

Rainfall throughout the night stops flights in Lahore.

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Allama Iqbal International Airport experienced many hours of flight disruption due to the intense rainfall and windstorms that occurred overnight in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab.

Aviation sources claim that because of the monsoon weather, the flight operation was unable to operate between 3 and 4 am.

It is possible that the planes will arrive at the airport at 4 am.

Amidst delays in foreign airline flights, three aircraft made landings in Multan and Peshawar.

Riyadh flights arrived in Peshawar Airport, while flights scheduled to land in Lahore in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain ended up landing in Multan Airport.

Seven hours later than scheduled, the Qatar Airways flight from Doha arrived in Lahore.

Because of the bad weather, there are delays in the arrival and departure of numerous international planes.

Latest News

Changes to Pakistan’s Test team could be significant for the Bangladesh series.

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Major changes to Pakistan’s team are anticipated ahead of the forthcoming Test series against Bangladesh, sources in Lahore have revealed.

As the team gets ready for the series, meetings with the players are planned for next week.

It is predicted that the Test squad would undergo several changes. The team’s lineup is expected to be strengthened by the likely inclusion of Muhammad Huraira. Key players like Faheem Ashraf, Wasim Jr., Saim Ayub, and Nauman Ali, whose contributions are vital to the team’s success, struggle to get a spot on the squad.

Furthermore, according to sources, Imamul Haq or Sahibzada Farhan are anticipated to be added to the team, subject to additional assessment. Furthermore, following a fitness assessment, Amir Jamal and Hasan Ali’s futures will be determined.

The ultimate selection for the Test team will take place following Red Ball head coach Jason Gillespie’s return to Pakistan. The ultimate squad that will play Bangladesh in the forthcoming Test series will be greatly influenced by his assessments and thoughts.

Pakistan is scheduled to visit New Zealand in March and April of 2025, according to the country’s official cricket schedule, which was released earlier this month.

Throughout their visit, the Pakistan cricket team will play three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in an exciting series.

The T20I series, which starts at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on March 16, will serve as the tour’s opening event.

Latest News

PM Meets With KP Lawmakers: Promises Progression and Relief Efforts in Province

Published

17 hours ago

Farwa

Khyber Pakhtunkhawa lawmakers are given assurances by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the province’s development, namely in the amalgamated districts, with a particular emphasis on the provision of standard health and educational facilities.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa National and Provincial Assembly members paid a visit to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at PM House.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister stated that the PML-N Government has always given priority to the development of the combined districts.

The prime minister promised that the combined Districts would have standard health and educational facilities, and that Danish Schools would be established nearby to offer local pupils an education of the highest caliber possible.

The PM also underlined the importance of promoting solar energy, combating electricity theft, and helping the middle class and impoverished.

He said that in order to boost the agriculture sector’s growth, expand the amount of land under cultivation, and reduce the nation’s reliance on foreign fuel imports, the government was converting agricultural tubewells to solar energy nationwide.

According to PM Shehbaz Sharif, the government recently provided significant reduction from electricity rates for those with low and moderate incomes.

At the event, he also announced the creation of a committee headed by the deputy prime minister, whose goal will be to identify long-term solutions to the issues facing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s elected officials.

He argued that in order to preserve the nation from going into default, the current government had to make difficult political choices in order to revitalize the economy.

The parliamentarians gave Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif high marks for his visionary leadership in transforming Pakistan’s economy.