KARACHI - President Asif Ali Zardari had approved March 16 for the dissolution of assemblies, said Sindh Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani on Thursday.

The announcement comes as Pakistan gears up for general elections to be held in spring this year.On Wednesday, a meeting of the senior leadership of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), of which Zardari is co-chairman, had made it clear that elections will be held on time and no delay, even for a day, would be permitted on any pretext. The meeting had observed that ‘some elements’ were seeking to disrupt the electoral system and postpone the upcoming elections. It also noted that if elections can be held in war-torn Afghanistan and Iraq, then there was no reason that they could not be held here on time.
ASFANDYAR CALLS ON PRESIDENT: President of Awami National Party, Asfandyar Wali Khan called on President Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House here on Thursday. Federal Minister Khursheed Ahmed Shah was also present during the meeting. Overall situation of the country, especially Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was discussed during the meeting.
It is understood that Asfandyar Wali Khan discussed with the President the possibility of holding an All Parties Conference to debate and give recommendations for talks with the Taliban to root out terrorism from the country.
The president condoled with Asfandyar over the martyrdom of senior ANP leader Bashir Ahmed Bilour.