LAHORE: PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat, along with his sons Shafae Hussain and Salik Hussain called on PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari late on Sunday evening.

The Q leaders felicitated the former president on the PPP victory in the second phase of the local body polls in Sindh.

The two sides also discussed the political situation in Punjab and the formation of an interim set-up in the province.

Meanwhile, PML-N has denied the media reports that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on Mr Zardari at the latter’s Bahria Town residence here on Sunday.

A PML-N official says there was no urgent need for a meeting between the two leaders after the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly. “Following the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly, there has been no urgent mutual agenda for the PML-N and PPP leadership, therefore, no meeting was scheduled between Mr Sharif and Mr Zardari,” the official says.

PML-N denies Shehbaz met PPP co-chairman

He says that with reference to Punjab the mutual interest of the two leaders will be making electoral adjustments for the forthcoming provincial election, as PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has categorically stated that the party will contest all polls from its own platform and on its election symbol of ‘tiger’ instead of joining any alliance, even though it may entail losing grip on power in the province.

Responding to a query, he says that the electoral adjustment will be on a few seats, mostly in south Punjab.

Punjab PPP acting president Rana Farooq Saeed says his party does not need any ‘charity of seats’ from the PML-N as it is capable of winning the polls and forming its government in the province.

Speaking at a press conference at Sahiwal on Sunday, he said the PPP had been oppressed for 40 years and that they would not allow it to happen again.

Meanwhile, PPP chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is likely to join his father in the Punjab capital on Monday (today). The duo will discuss the provincial political landscape and frame a future line of action with the local leadership.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2023