Zardari, Nawaz to hold one-on-one meeting today

ISLAMABAD: Former president Asif Ali Zardari will have an important one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif here at the PM House today (Wednesday). It will be a crucially important meeting since it is taking place in the backdrop of belligerent address by the former against security forces. The meeting is taking place on the request of Asif Ali Zardari.
Former Interior Minister Rehman Malik confirmed the scheduled meeting between the prime minister and his leader and said that he would not attend it because he was leaving for somewhere. He told this to The News at a grand dinner at the Sindh House hosted by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah on Tuesday evening in the honour of members of parliament.
The dinner was arranged on the lush green lawn of the Sindh House and it was also attended by acting President Mian Raza Rabbani, former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, parliamentary groups leaders including Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, federal ministers Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Governor Punjab Malik Rafiq Rajwana, Asif Ali Zardari, Bilawal Zardari, Bakhtawar, Faryal Talpur and Senator-elect Sherry Rehman.
The members of parliament belonging to the MQM were conspicuous by their absence at the dinner. The belligerent speech delivered by Asif Zardari in the Fata Jirga earlier in the federal capital was under discussion as the guests were of the opinion that a bigger game was underway now. The PPP is keen to get rid of Rangers presence in Karachi and Sindh. It fears imposition of Governor’s Rule in the province.
Observers are of the view that once the Governor’s Rule is imposed in Sindh, the whole opposition in the National Assembly would step down from its membership. In that eventuality, fresh polls would be enforced on the government or any other untoward development could take place. The guests thoroughly enjoyed the typical Sindhi and local food. Syed Khursheed Shah presented a Sindhi Ajrak to all guests.