Manzoor Wassan, a leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), has forecasted a pivotal three-month period for Pakistani politics, indicating that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif might dissolve the National Assembly soon.
Wassan, known for his bold political predictions, shared these insights while speaking to journalists. He suggested that while the National Assembly may be dissolved, provincial assemblies will likely remain unchanged.
Wassan also expressed scepticism regarding the political future of Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the PML-N, stating that the current political environment does not support his return as Prime Minister. “We will see what kind of setup emerges after the dissolution of the National Assembly,” he added.
Regarding Imran Khan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and other politicians, Wassan predicted challenging times. He remarked that even if these politicians receive temporary relief, it does not last.
This commentary comes from the Islamabad High Court’s recent decision, which acquitted PTI’s Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the cipher case. IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb delivered the verdict, accepting the former premier and diplomat’s appeals against their earlier convictions.
Despite the acquittal, both Khan and Qureshi were not expected to be released due to ongoing legal challenges, including Khan’s sentence in the Iddat case and Qureshi’s arrest related to May 9. Earlier in January, a special court under the Official Secrets Act had sentenced both to ten years in jail, with Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain appointing state counsel for their defence.