ISLAMABAD             -        Political wizard Asif Ali Zardari is active yet again as the coalition government is struggling to push the general elections to the scheduled time after ter Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan announced to dissolve the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhaw provincial assemblies on coming Friday. Zardari visited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at his residence in Lahore yesterday and discussed the country’s political situation and ‘possible’ dissolution of Punjab Assembly. The two also separately met Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam) chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to discuss the situation after Imran Khan’s announcement. The PTI chief has pledged to dissolve the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhaw provincial assemblies on December 23 but there have been doubts about the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly as PTI and the PML-Q have started to differ on various issues. Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi has openly criticised Imran Khan for targeting former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa whom he termed a ‘benefactor’ of the PTI and the PML-Q. PM Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari have agreed to enhance cooperation with Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Both the leaders also sought Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain’s help to stop dissolution of Punjab Assembly. Sharif and Zardari will only contact CM Elahi if Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain gives a goahead. “There is hardly any time before Friday. So Zardari is contacting all the people who can be helpful,” said a close aide of Zardari. PM Shehbaz Sharif expects Zardari to complete the homework before the coalition government announces a final strategy. Yesterday, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said his meetings with Zardari and PM Shehbaz Sharif were positive and they would continue cooperation. In an interview, Zardari said that early elections were not in the interest of democracy, therefore, the government would bring no-confidence motions against Chief Ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to prevent dissolution of their assemblies. The PPP Co-Chairman claimed that he had more than enough numbers in both the houses to save those legislatures. Besides, the former president said in a lighter vein he could work some ‘magic’ in the Khyber Pakhtunkhaw Assembly. “I have the numbers in hand and I can increase the numbers further,” Zardari said. Question that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had no significant strength in the Khyber Pakhtunkhaw Assembly, the former president replied that there were some “disgruntled friends” who would have to be brought back. The PPP supremo said that in the worst case, the provincial assemblies will be dissolved and the PPP will contest the polls. He maintained that Imran Khan will be on the losing side in the elections. The final outcome is yet to be seen but Imran Khan’s announcement has increased the political temperature which is set to stay for a while.