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

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  • 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
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
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.

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Forecast: rain and thunderstorms for Punjab, KP, and other regions of the nation

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In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Punjab, Islamabad, and north Balochistan, rain, windstorms, and thunderstorms are predicted by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

Over the next 24 hours, the Met Office predicts that there will be isolated areas of heavy rainfall in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Kashmir, while dust storms are anticipated in the country’s southern regions.

In upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan, moderate to heavy rains may cause landslides and impact vulnerable areas between the evening of March 29 and the morning of March 30.

Lightning, hail, and windstorms can harm loose objects like solar panels, cars, power poles, and standing crops. It is essential that farmers and tourists exercise caution during this time.

The synoptic situation indicates that a westerly wave that is affecting the country’s western and upper regions is probably going to stay there through March 31.

Over the course of the previous day, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, north Balochistan, upper and central Punjab, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan experienced rain, wind, and thunderstorms. In other regions of the nation, the weather was partly cloudy.

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Elections

Plans are being finalized for the April 2 Senate elections.

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As ballots are being printed, the final preparations are being made for the Senate elections that are set on April 2.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has sources that state that printing presses in Islamabad and Karachi are producing the ballot sheets.

According to the sources, ballots for the Senate elections are being printed in four different colors.

According to ECP officials, green ballot paper would be used for technocrat seats and white ballot paper for general seats.

Likewise, ballots for the minority and women’s seats would be yellow and pink, respectively.

On April 2, 48 Senate seats are up for election. The National Assembly and each of the four province assembly will host polling places.

In the meantime, the Punjab Assembly hall has been designated as a Senate election polling place. According to a notification from the Speaker, the polling would take place from 9 AM to 4 PM.

On April 2, voting for the seats reserved for women, minorities, and technocrats would take place in the Punjab Assembly polling place.

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Latest News

The prime minister reorganizes the Common Interests Council.

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The Council of Common Interests has been reconfigured by Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif.

Additionally, the notification to this effect was released following Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s consent.

The announcement states that the foreign minister, rather than the finance minister, has been included in the CCI for the first time in the nation’s history. Prime Minister Sharif will preside over the eight-member Council of Common Interests.

The announcement stated that the four chief ministers would be members of the CCI. Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister, has been admitted to the CCI.

The notification states that Safron Minister Engineer Amir Muqam and Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif will also be on the CCI. Commencing on March 21, the Council of Common Interests has been constituted.


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