F.P. Report
LAHORE: Former premier Nawaz Sharif on Thursday met Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and agreed to address the reservations of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam’s (F) Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman over the FATA Reforms Bill.
During the meeting held at Nawaz’s Jati Umra residence, the political situation of the country was also discussed along with preparations for the upcoming general elections in 2018.
It was also decided to increase the interaction with the public and party workers before the elections.
The former prime minister also said during the that his party — Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) — was willing to make sacrifices for the cause of democracy.
“[We] are ready to make any sacrifice for democracy,” the PML-N president said.
Nawaz further said that accountability in the present situation seemed to be unlikely and a strong parliament will lead to strong institutions.
The meeting between Nawaz and Abbasi concluded later in the evening.
Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other senior Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) leaders were part of the meeting.
The issue of FATA’s merger with KP remains one of the pending matters for the incumbent government and has dominated the political discourse of the country in recent weeks.
Earlier today, the opposition once again staged a walkout from the National Assembly proceedings as the FATA Reforms Bill for the region’s merger with KP remained out of the agenda for yet another session.
On Wednesday, the FATA supreme council held a meeting with Prime Minister Abbasi and said that the citizens of the region want to maintain their separate identity. The matter of FATA’s merger with KP was left unresolved after the meeting.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman meanwhile has conditionally agreed to support the proposal of FATA’s merger with KP and said that further consultations for the FATA Reforms Bill will continue to be held.
