Islamabad : The long running differences between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan were bridged on Tuesday when the two held first face to face meeting after four months which lasted for over an hour at the Prime Minister House.
The meeting was also attended by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Minister for States and Frontier Regions (r) Lt General Abdul Qadir Baloch. Sources said that the meeting, for which Shahbaz Sharif played a critical role, was held in a cordial atmosphere and the prime minister warmly shook hands with the interior minister as he reached for the meeting.
Ch Nisar Ali Khan who is a diehard Muslim Leaguer and beyond any doubt loyalist of Sharif brothers had not been in good terms over non acceptance of his demands for release of finances for NACTA and undue interference by some people in the affairs of his ministry. During the meeting detailed discussion took place over law and order situation in Pakistan, Karachi Operation, affairs of the Interior Ministry, functioning of NACTA and implementation of National Action Plan.
The prime minister expressed his full satisfaction over the way the Interior Ministry was being run and assured his all out support to the interior minister. Sources said that when differences emerged between the prime minister and interior minister, key members of Nawaz Sharif’s inner circle including Shahbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar, Pervaiz Rashid, Saad Rafiq and Additional Secretary in Prime Minister’s Office Fawad Hassan Fawad played their role to bridge the differences and bring them face to face to iron out the issues.
Some interlocutors in private meetings reminded the prime minister that Chaudhry Nisar Ali handled the critical situations when PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri wanted to land at Islamabad airport and during the sit ins by the PTI and the PAT with courage, farsightedness and political maturity when everyone was saying that the days of the government were numbered. The Punjab chief minister, who has very deep understanding with Ch Nisar Ali had several one on one meetings with the prime minister and the interior minister to remove misunderstanding and address the grievances of the interior minister.
Sources said that Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has been assured that there would be no interference from anyone in the affairs of the Interior Ministry and the issue of release of funds for the NACTA would soon be resolved.
