By By Mumtaz Alvi
Gilani could summon the legislators for a crucial meeting to discuss their demands after Monday’s hectic schedule, a source at the PM House told this correspondent.
“Yes, the prime minister has conveyed to the Fata lawmakers to stay in the federal capital because he intends to have a meeting with them any time after Monday,” the source said.
In reply to a question, he said the Fata legislators had declined to withdraw the resignations of their two federal ministers, one state minister and six parliamentary secretaries and a chairman of a standing committee until their demands were met.
He said so far no clear assurances had been held out to the Fata parliamentarians group about the replacement of the incumbent governor. However, consultations were under way on this count.
It was learnt that Munir Khan Orakzai, who hails from the Orakzai Agency and heads the group, has recently written to President Asif Ali Zardari to play his role and if their demands were not justified, their resignations should be accepted without any delay.
Sources close to the group told this reporter that since their ministers were staying away from their respective ministerial offices and cabinet meetings after tendering resignations, Hameedullah Jan Afridi, Federal Minister for Environment, had been asked by the group not to proceed for a United Nations Climate conference in Copenhagen from December 6 to December 18.
Talking to The News at the Parliament Lodges, Munir Orakzai said: “In our meeting with President Zardari, we have requested him to resolve the issues we have been referring to from time to time and he has responded positively.”
The soft-spoken legislator also confirmed to have been informed on behalf of the premier that they should not leave Islamabad because they could be summoned for a meeting by Tuesday.