Some dissident senators from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) met at a hotel on Thursday to discuss the formation of a forward bloc in the upper house of parliament to extend its support to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.
According to media reports, a number of independent senators from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) also attended the meeting.
The sources said the meeting had taken place at the initiative of some PPP senators from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the participants decided to meet again in a couple of days to finalise their strategy.
When contacted, Senator Adnan Khan confirmed the meeting but said it was an informal get-together at lunch. He, however, admitted that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the future course of action after a change in the country’s political scenario after the elections.
He said the meeting basically wanted to know the viewpoint of independent senators from FATA whether they would extend support to the future PML-N government.
“We have not decided anything yet. We are holding consultations on the nature of future relationship with the next government,” Adnan said.
Answering a question, he said so far they had not been approached or contacted by the PML-N.
Despite having its government at the centre, the PML-N may face difficulties in carrying out its legislative agenda since it lacks majority in the Senate. The PPP is the largest party in the 104-member house with 39 senators.
Those who attended the meeting, according to the sources, included Abbas Afridi, Humayun Mandokhel, Waqar Ahmed Khan and Saifullah Bangash.
Sources claimed that the forward bloc could comprise about a dozen members.
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