LAHORE:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former premier Nawaz Sharif at Jati Umra, where key party and governance matters came under discussion.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz were also present.
During the meeting, the prime minister briefed Nawaz on his recent visit to Malaysia and conveyed a goodwill message from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
He said bilateral relations between Pakistan and Malaysia, particularly in the economic sphere, were “reaching new heights”.
Shehbaz also apprised the party leader of his upcoming visit to Egypt and discussed the country’s internal and regional security situation, including border tensions with Afghanistan.
While such interactions between the two Sharifs have become a regular weekly affair, Sunday’s meeting came amid a politically tense environment as the PML-N-led federal government faces multiple internal and external challenges.
Among them, the upcoming election for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief ministership has emerged as a major political test for the ruling party.
According to sources, the establishment is keen to prevent the PTI founder’s nominee, Sohail Afridi, from securing the province’s top slot – a task reportedly entrusted to the PML-N leadership.
In its bid to gather the required numbers, the party is said to be reaching out to PTI lawmakers and, if necessary, is even willing to consider supporting JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for the position.
Apart from political manoeuvring, the government continues to grapple with an uptick in terrorism and border skirmishes with Afghanistan.
