PM attends dinner at Zardari House on ex-president’s invitation

ISLAMABAD: After having lunch at the PM House at the invitation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the national leadership again gathered in the evening at a dinner at the Zardari House on the invitation of former president Asif Ali Zardari.
Besides Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the dinner meeting was attended by Maulana Fazlur Rehman (JUI-F), Asfandyar Wali Khan (ANP), Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain (PML-Q), Dr Farooq Sattar (MQM), Mir Hasil Bizenjo, Mushahid Hussain Sayed (PML-Q), Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique and other leaders, whoattended the dinner hosted by Zardari for the parliamentary leaders.
The outgoing Senate Chairman, Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, and his successor Mian Raza Rabbani were also present there.Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif felicitated Mian Raza Rabbani for being nominated for the post of Senate chairman by both the government and opposition parties.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had already communicated that he would not be present for the dinner as he had already made a commitment for dinner somewhere else.Earlier, at the luncheon meeting at the Prime Minister’s House, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had complained in a lighter mood that neither Asif Zardari had invited him over for meals nor attended one from his (Nawaz’s) side.
Former president Asif Ali Zardari responded quickly and invited the premier to dinner on Tuesday evening.Sources say the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Fazlur Rehman demanded the post of deputy chairman Senate with the view that being a major party from Balochistan, it was the JUI-F’s right that it should have the post of deputy chairman.
The ANP also expressed its desire to get the slot of Senate deputy chairman.Sources said that it was decided in the meeting that parties from Balochistan would create a consensus on their candidate for the post of deputy chairman Senate today (Wednesday).
Sources said that during the meeting of national leadership, Maulana Fazlur Rehman also spoke about his issues with regard to military courts.Sources said Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar in the meeting focused on the provinces and subventions as well as the National Finance Commission Award that was due this financial year.
Later, talking to newsmen outside the Zardari House, Senator Farhatullah Babar said all the national leadership, including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, had complimented Mian Raza Rabbani for emerging as a consensus candidate.
He said the meeting was significant as under the Charter of Democracy, the right of the majority party was accepted. “The gathering of the national leadership was more significant than the dinner,” he added.Earlier, on arriving at the Zardari House, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met all the participants individually and also shook hands with rival Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.