Participants of meeting will “discuss current political situation and devise a future strategy”, say sources

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (from left), Pakistan Poeples Party Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Democratic Movement President Maulana Fazlur Rehman. — AFP/File

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called a big meeting of coalition partners on Wednesday (today) prior to negotiations with the PTI on the directions of the Supreme Court.

Party sources said the top leadership of the ruling government and its allied parties along with their legal wizards were expected to participate in the meeting while there were chances that Nawaz Sharif might also participate through a video link.

It is pertinent to mention that the government has just two days to talk to the PTI in order to reach a consensus on the issue of holding elections as per the apex court orders.

During the last meeting of the coalition partners, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had suggested dialogue with the PTI but the PDM chief Fazlur Rehman outright rejected it.

PMLN sources claim that the PMLN leadership has asked Ayaz Sadiq to contact PTI’s Asad Qaiser on Friday and both agreed to meet on Wednesday (today) but PTI chief Imran Khan clearly said that the mandate for negotiations rested with Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

APP adds: Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday congratulated President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the successful maiden flight of Hurjet, a light combat aircraft.

Responding to a tweet of President Erdogan, Shehbaz said it was undoubtedly a huge achievement for Turkiye and Turkish defence industries.

“I wish greater success to brotherly Turkiye in TF-X project,” he added.

On Tuesday, according to media reports, the Turkish Aerospace Industries conducted the first successful flight test of its locally produced basic trainer and light-assault aircraft.