PML-N leaders meet in London to discuss army chief's tenure, other parliamentary affairs

A group of PML-N leaders on Saturday held a meeting in London with party president Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the party's role in various parliamentary matters including legislation on an army chief's tenure and the suspended appointments of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

"We will inquire after the party's supreme leader and also take guidance (from Nawaz and Shehbaz) mainly on the issues of legislation on the extension in service of the army chief and the appointment of the new chief election commissioner (CEC)," PML-N spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb had told Dawn News before the group's departure from Pakistan on Thursday.

She said the party leaders would return in a week after the consultation.

The Supreme Court in the last week of November had allowed General Qamar Bajwa to serve as army chief for another six months and asked the government to determine the tenure, terms, and conditions of the service of an army chief through legislation within the period.

Meanwhile, the opposition and government are facing a deadlock over the appointments of ECP members, as both sides have failed to reach a consensus on the matter. Though both Shehbaz and Prime Minister Imran Khan have sent their recommendations for the post to the relevant parliamentary committee, an agreement is yet to be reached.

Sources said that the leaders would mainly be given the party line on the issues by Nawaz. "The style of politics of these main parliamentarians of the PML-N on their return will reflect the mood of the elder Sharif," they added.

PML-N leaders Khawaja Asif, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Rana Tanveer, Shehbaz Sharif, Ayaz Sadiq, Ahsan Iqbal, and Amir Muqam took part in the meeting that was held at Maroush gardens in central London.