ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi presided over on Friday a meeting of parliamentary committee of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and directed party legislators to ensure their full presence in the national and provincial assemblies on the day of Senate elections on Saturday (today).

Interestingly, some of the members of the National Assembly informed the meeting that they had received suspicious telephone calls from unknown numbers, asking them to change their loyalties.

MNA Mian Abdul Mannan told Dawn that the meeting had been called to discuss one-point agenda of Senate elections. According to him, the prime minister asked the party lawmakers not to make technical mistake while casting their votes, and tasked some PML-N leaders with informing their colleagues about the election procedure and guiding them during the elections.

In reply to a question about mysterious telephone calls received by the ruling party legislators, Mr Mannan said that some of them apprised the prime minister of such calls. “On this, I interfered and said why I have not being contacted by mysterious callers,” he added.

Meanwhile, a source in the ruling party said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was interested in making his close aide and former information minister Pervaiz Rashid the next Senate chairman.

On the other hand, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) wanted to see Sherry Rehman on the post. However, it is believed that religious parties will never support her candidature for the slot.

It is also expected that the government and the opposition PPP will finally agree on the name of incumbent Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman called on Prime Minister Abbasi and discussed with the latter Senate elections.

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also held a party meeting to finalise strategy for the Senate polls.

PPP members of the Punjab Assembly called on former president Asif Ali Zardari and Mr Bilawal-Bhutto. They included Khwaja Nizamuddin, Sardar Shahabuddin, Rais Ibrahim Khalil, Qazi Ahmed Saeed and Faiza Malik.

Matters relating to the Senate elections were discussed. Senator Sherry Rehman, Haji Nawaz Khokhar and Rukhsana Bangash were also present on the occasion.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan also held a party meeting to finalise strategy for the Senate polls and give guidelines to the party legislators.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2018