ISLAMABAD – Former minister of state for ports and shipping Nabeel Gabol on Friday stuck to his position and did not withdraw his resignation despite Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani asking him to reconsider the decision.
“I have not withdrawn my resignation … a follow-up meeting with the prime minister will take place on Saturday (today),” Gabol told Pakistan Today after meeting the prime minister on Friday. Asked about media reports that said he had withdrawn his resignation, Gabol said, “I do not know where this news came from … I have not said that I have withdrawn my resignation.”
However, a source told Pakistan Today that the minister expressed willingness to withdraw his resignation, while admitting that he should not have violated party discipline by going public.
The source said the prime minister told Gabol about President Asif Ali Zardari’s displeasure with him for embarrassing the party and the government. The source said the prime minister listened to the minister’s grievances and the matter is expected to be taken up at by the top party leadership. The source said Gabol informed Gilani that he had taken the decision to resign under pressure from his constituents, as he was helpless to address their problems.
“Gabol told Gilani that his ministry was not honouring his orders of facilitating his voters, a majority of whom were illiterate, unemployed and related to the fishing business,” added the source. It was learnt that Gilani told the minister that his statements against the PPP’s two coalition partners – the MQM and the ANP – had annoyed the president.
When contacted, Shabbir Anwer, press secretary to the prime minister, confirmed that Gabol had not withdrawn his resignation. Party insiders said the president was not happy with Gabol for a long time for his outbursts, particularly against the MQM and ANP. The president had given a “final warning” to Gabol in October when he had called for a military operation in Karachi.
