As the political temperature heats up in direct contrast to the cooling environmental temperature in the country, back-channel contacts between the government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are intensified.
President Dr Arif Alvi held meetings with Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and separately with Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed at Aiwan-e-Sadr amidst the political storm brewing in Punjab over the dissolution of the provincial assembly.
During his meeting, Sheikh Rasheed reportedly advised President Alvi to play his constitutional role for holding early general elections to improve the overall economic situation of the country. The two also discussed the dissolution of the provincial assemblies. Sheikh Rasheed praised President for putting in his efforts to diffuse the political tension. In his 45-minute-long meeting, Sheikh Rasheed suggested that the country is facing immense political uncertainty.
Ishaq Dar calls on President
Separately, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also met with President Alvi on Monday. The two discussed the overall political and economic situation of the country, an official readout said. This was the first meeting between President Alvi and Dar after PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced to dissolve of the provincial assemblies on December 23. Has Dar held several meetings with President Alvi in the past month over critical issues in the country including economic and political challenges. In past meetings, the finance minister briefed the President on various steps taken by the government to provide relief to people especially to the unprivileged population of the underserved areas of the country and the flood affectees.
