ISLAMABAD: In an apparent move to evolve in-house consensus on the issue of initiating a dialogue with the opposition, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of the heads of the coalition parties at the Prime Minister’s House slated to be held in the afternoon today.

On the other hand, a delegation of the PPP leaders approached the Awami National Party (ANP) on Monday as its leadership attempted to provide “a conducive environment for dialogue” among political parties to address the prevalent crisis.

In a media talk, Senator Yousaf Raza Gilani said the PPP delegation appr­oa­ched the ANP on Monday for a dialogue on the instructions of PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Asif Ali Zard­ari, reported APP.

The senator said the ANP had always rendered sacrifices for the restoration of democracy and rule of law.

He added the basic purpose of the Constitution was that all institutions would exercise their powers within their constitutional domain. Now, the party would approach the leadership of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Balochistan Awami Party and others, he added.

ANP Secretary General Mian Iftikhar Hussain termed the meeting “a good step by the PPP”.

He added the political parties would have joined hands for the supremacy of parliament and to ensure that all institutions remained in their constitutional domain.

Mr Hussain said the ANP would organise a multi-party moot on May 3 in which all political parties, including the PTI, would be invited to break the current impasse.

In light of the multi-party moot, a delegation of the ANP would also call on the MQM-P today, said spokesperson Zahid Khan. The ANP leader said the meeting likely to take place at 2pm today would stock of the political situation. He added that the ANP would also extend an invitation for the multi-party moot to the MQM-P.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2023