Nawaz Sharif

He said that the people in Pakistan are facing financial problems not political, while reiterating that the general elections in the country will be held at the designated time, Samaa TV reported. Nawaz Sharif said that Imran Khan's long march has failed, adding that his rhetoric - which has sown the seeds of lies, hatred, and division - could not flourish, Samaa TV reported.

A party source said that Nawaz Sharif, if all remains well, will return in December to take back the reins of the party but said that indications that he will return only close to elections to run an election campaign were not true "as his return does not in any way means that PML-N has agreed to any early elections", reports The Express Tribune. "The party will not concede on the matter of early elections, come what may. The PML-N, even if it loses its government, will not agree to this demand, and this was final," he added.

"Army chief's appointment is a constitutional matter. It will be decided according to the Constitution," The News International quoted Shehbaz Sharif as saying. Geo News further reported that the meeting decided in principle to prioritise merit for the coveted military position. The Sharif brothers would also take the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership into confidence on the matter, The News reported. But Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said PML-N leaders discussed the appointment of new army chief but the decision will be taken after the start of constitutional process.

"He who claims to bring one million has not yet managed to gather two thousand slaves. The reason for the indifference of the people is the evil lies, which stand exposed to the nation. He told one lie after another so brutally and brazenly that DG ISI was forced to break the silence and tell the truth to the nation," tweeted Nawaz Sharif.

In a statement issued on Twitter on Wednesday, Nawaz Sharif gave his reaction after the long march was announced by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, saying that people have seen his revolution' during his four-year rule, Express Tribune reported. "Imran Khan's long march is not for any revolution, but to install an Army chief of his own choice," he said.

"The negative comments attributed to me about PM Shehbaz Sharif are misleading and incorrect," Nawaz said in a late night tweet on Thursday, without elaborating what comments he was referring to, Dawn reported. The former Prime Minister added that he remained hopeful that "sincere and tireless efforts by 'SS' (Shehbaz Sharif) under the most challenging circumstances will bear fruit and he will steer the country out of the mess created by Imran Khan".

In separate statements, both the key political leaders criticised the government for increasing the prices which were hiked on Monday despite a massive appreciation in rupee value and a decline in international oil prices, The News reported. Expressing concern over the development, former president Asif Ali Zardari said the PPP is a part of the government and supports it, but there must be consultations on such decisions.

"The decision on the no-confidence motion was made in London. The same Nawaz Sharif is now talking about leaving the government," Rasheed tweeted, once again turning his guns to the PML-N leadership, Geo News reported. He said that the country is in an "economic jam" and the people cannot pay bills of electricity and gas alongside a fixed tax.

Sharif has worked out a strategic plan for giving up the government and it would also come up for discussion, The News reported. Maulana Fazal ur Rehman will chair the meeting and Sharif will address it virtually. Well-placed political sources told The News here Wednesday that judicial verdict in Punjab government has compelled Sharif to harden his position regarding dissolving National Assembly forthwith.

The three leaders have reportedly agreed that a detailed plan of action will be adopted in consultation with other allies, Geo News reported on Monday. According to sources, Nawaz, Zardari and Maulana Fazl reviewed the results of the Punjab by-elections and discussed the future strategy of the coalition government in Punjab and the centre, Geo News reported. In Sunday's Punjab by-polls, the PTI bagged 15 out of the 20 constituencies up for grabs in the province.