Coalition partners assure PM Shehbaz of ‘full support’

The coalition partners of the federal government have assured Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of “complete support”, deciding to complete the constitutional tenure till August 2023, SAMAA TV reported.

The development came after the key members of the coalition government met, with PM Shehbaz in the chair, on Tuesday, where the evolving political situation and Supreme Court of Pakistan’s ruling on Article 63A were discussed which raised questions over Hamza Shahbaz’s future as Punjab chief minister.

JUI-F’s Molana Fazlur Rehman, PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari, MQM-P's Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and federal ministers Khawaja Asif, and Marriyum Aurangzeb were part of the meeting.

“The coalition partners advised the economic team to take immediate measures to stabilise the rupee,” SAMAA TV’s Usman reported while citing government sources. “They also recommended that finalise the International Monetary Fund programme.”

The newly formed government, after ousting Imran Khan through the vote of no-confidence, has been under pressure due to the economic situation as the dollar continues to freefall amid the PTI chairperson demanding early elections.

“The participants of the meeting decided that the government would complete its constitutional tenure in a bid to take the country out of the economic crisis,” Usman added.