Benazir Bhutto will meet Nawaz Sharif in London, sources said here. "Benazir and Nawaz will meet in London in a couple of months to chalk out future strategy for co-operation between their political parties for restoration of democracy in Pakistan, and preparations for the next general elections," Ishaq Dar, a former finance minister and leader of PML (N), told 'Gulf News'.
He said that both leaders would also participate in a crucial meeting of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), which will also be held in London within the next two months. PPP and PML (N) are allies under the ARD banner.
Dar said the decision regarding the meeting was taken in Dubai on Friday by Shahbaz Sharif and Benazir. PPP sources said Benazir had invited Shahbaz over tea to exchange views on the current political situation. Shahbaz was accompanied by Ishaq Dar. Nisar Khuhro and Qasim Zia were also present at the meeting.
UNDERSTANDING: PML (N) will hold its central working committee meeting in London on March 24 and 25. Nawaz wanted to meet Benazir before the meeting, but she said she could not visit London so soon because of her other engagements.
As per the proposed understanding, neither party will try to topple the government in case the other assumes power after the next general elections. "The meeting in Dubai has been very useful. We demanded free and fair elections in which leaders of the mainstream parties should be allowed to participate," a spokesperson of PML (N) said.
Shahbaz and Benazir also exchanged views on the recent visit of US President George W. Bush to India and Pakistan. Dar said that Shahbaz's meeting with Benazir had established once again that the two parties were united in the struggle for the restoration of democracy.