ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has almost finalised its manifesto for the next general election and would approve it shortly, sources said here on Monday.

PML-N President Nawaz Sharif has convened a top-level party meeting on Tuesday in Lahore to take up recommendations of the manifesto committee regarding the policy for the upcoming election.

Sources said the PML-N manifesto would focus especially on the economy, which according to it is in a bad shape and has direct bearing on the overall situation of the country.

Energy is also likely to be top priority in the manifesto.

Apart from the manifesto committee, other bodies formed for various sectors would also present their reports to the top party leadership, sources in the PML-N confided.

However, the top agenda of the meeting would be the recommendations of the manifesto committee, which would be accorded approval after deliberation by the top party leaders.

The meeting would also devise a strategy to launch the party’s campaign based on the new manifesto for the next general election, sources said.

Apart from the top leadership of the PML-N, Pakistan Muslim League-Likeminded has also been invited to participate in the meeting, which would be represented by its leader Humayun Akhtar Khan.

The PML-N manifesto committee is headed by party stalwart Sartaj Aziz, who has served as the finance minister and foreign minister during the party’s federal government tenures.

During the meeting, the committee discussed input from various committees on economy, education, health, law and order, energy and art and culture.

PML-N, meanwhile, faces a hard task in NA-105, a constituency of heavy-weights, as new entrant Ahmad Saeed has refused to contest against his brother Ahmad Mukhtar.

PML-Q’s Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and PPP’s Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar (the federal minister for water and power) have been traditional rivals here.

After having Ahmad Saeed into its folds, the PML-N felt relatively comfortable by announcing him as its candidate for NA-105 comprising Gujrat city, Kunjah and Shadiwal towns and adjoining rural areas.