LONDON:
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is en route to New York for the UN General Assembly session, has arrived in London where the ruling PML-N is holding a party meeting to finalise key decisions, including the one on the appointment of the next chief of army staff (COAS).
The prime minister and his entourage landed at the Luton airport where he was received by Pakistan Ambassador to the UK Moazam Ali Khan. He then left for London accompanied by federal ministers Marriyum Aurangzeb and Khawaja Asif.
During a PML-N meeting under Nawaz Sharif, consultations will be held on the key November decision while the no-confidence motion in Punjab will also be discussed.
Nawaz Sharif will also be briefed on recent contacts with Asif Ali Zardari and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, it said.
Earlier, Federal Minister Khurram Dastgir categorically said that the prime minister will appoint the next COAS in consultation with Nawaz Sharif.
Before leaving for New York, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that the next COAS will be appointed by the prime minister in November as provided by the Constitution. The procession for the appointment has not started yet, he said.
Asif also ruled out the possibility of snap elections.
Shehbaz Sharif will attend the 77th General Assembly session where he is expected to make an appeal for flood relief aid.
Speaking at the Noor Khan airbase in Rawalpindi, Shehabz Sharif said that the government had already distributed Rs 30 billion out of Rs 70 billion allocation among the flood victims. IANS