PDM huddle in Lahore today to discuss legal issues

• PM Shehbaz to chair PDM meeting in Lahore.
• Imran Khan, legal issues to be discussed in huddle.
• Nawaz Sharif likely to attend meeting via video link.

LAHORE: The ruling alliance will meet today with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair to discuss the prevalent political crisis in the country and cases being heard at the Supreme Court.

According to Geo News sources, the meeting will be held at PM’s residence in Model Town where leaders of the allied parties will devise a strategy to deal with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and legal challenges.

The apex court is hearing a case over the delay in elections to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies amid controversy over the suo motu notice taken in this regard.

The PTI had challenged the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) March 22 order of postponing elections in the two provinces. A five-member bench originally formed to hear the plea had been dissolved twice after two judges recused themselves from the case following a Supreme Court order postponing all proceedings under Article 184(3).

However, after the recusal of two judges a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar is now hearing the PTI plea.

On Friday, the government’s request to form a full court was also rejected by the court, deepening the ongoing crisis as the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has rejected the bench.

According to The News report, the ruling alliance is anxiously waiting for the findings of the joint investigation team's (JIT) report that has initially gathered some startling information about the people who were hiding in the Zaman Park residence of Imran Khan.

The sources said the government alliance wouldn’t support dialogue with the PTI or Imran since “they are not reliable people”.

It has been pointed out that Imran is approaching leaders of the ruling alliance through backchannel for talks. The alliance leadership, in its meeting today, will also discuss Imran’s impatience for dialogue and its motives.

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarrar will brief the meeting about the overall situation in the legal battle being fought in the Supreme Court on the question of elections for provincial assemblies of Punjab and KP and a disputed suo motu.

Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan had an important meeting with PM Shehbaz in Islamabad before the latter’s departure for Lahore. He has also left for Lahore and will also be available for consultations during the meeting.

The sources said that the government would consider the option of boycotting the three-member bench proceedings of the Supreme Court that has come down from the strength of nine to three after judges recused from the bench.

The ruling alliance leaders would also consider a proposal to knock on the door of the Supreme Judicial Council on certain matters.

A political strategy to deal with the upcoming agitation by the PTI and Imran would be drawn up in the meeting.

The sources indicated that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif will also join the discussion from London.