Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday held a meeting with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at his Raiwind residence and exchanged views on the country's political situation and other matters of mutual interest, sources said.
During the meeting, both the leaders discussed the party's future strategy regarding matters concerned upcoming elections for the slots of Senate chairman and deputy chairman, the sources said, adding: "Nawaz has also instructed PM Abbasi to remain in close contact with the party members as well as allies of the government to bring consensus candidates."
The sources said names of different party leaders including Raja Zafar-ul-Haq and Senator Pervaiz Rasheed for the prestigious slot of Chairman Senate. "Nawaz, however, stressed that final decision may be after taking the party senators and allies on board," the sources said, adding, "It was also desired by Nawaz that support of maximum number of independent senators may be secured."
It may be added that senator-elect Mirza Mohammad Afridi, who was elected as an independent senator from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), has already joined the PML-N after a meeting with Nawaz Sharif.
In the Senate polls, the PML-N emerged as the largest party in the Upper House of Parliament after the party bagged a total of 15 seats across the country, according to unofficial results, taking its total strength in the 104-member Senate to 33. Despite the PPP's decline in Senate to a total of 21 seats, the party is aiming to take the slots of chairman and deputy chairman with the help of allies and independents, the sources said. "PPP leaders Dr Qayyum Soomro and Senator Saleem Mandviwala had a meeting with the independent FATA senators."
Both the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) have multiplied efforts for contacting independent candidates who have won seats in Senate elections. The sources claimed that the PML-N leaders are also contacting the PkMAP, NP and JUI.
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