President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday held separate meetings with Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani and Balochistan PPP President Mir Muhammad Sadiq Umrani in a bid to reconcile both the leaders who were at daggers drawn against each other.
A source told Pakistan Today that the president asked Raisani to accommodate the concerns of Umrani who wanted the party’s leaders and workers to be adjusted in any manner. The source said it was one of a series of meetings held by the president to ensure rapprochement between both the leaders of the party. “The president asked the Balochistan CM to use his office to reach peace agreements with the rebel Baloch leaders. Matters relating to law and order, political situation and developmental projects in the province were also discussed,” the source said.
In a separate meeting with Umrani, President Zardari said the party leaders should make joint efforts to bring peace to the conflict-hit province. He asked Umrani to end his differences with Raisani and to make sure that the cause of the party was kept supreme while the poor workers of the party were adjusted and accommodated. Both Raisani and Umrani had entered into a conflict over the award of party tickets for the by-polls in Jafferabad and Naseerabad which triggered a new row as some provincial ministers relating to the PPP had tendered resignations from their ministries. Dr Ghazanfar Mehdi, an intellectual and writer, also called on the president at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Clarification
Circles close to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Ahsan Iqbal have strongly denied the contents of a report appearing in Pakistan Today, saying the story was based on disinformation spread by Ahsan Iqbal’s rivals. They said that Ahsan Iqbal enjoys an impeccable reputation.
It may be mentioned here that the concerned reporter has no personal motives against the esteemed PML-N leader.