Nisar, Shahbaz meet to discuss reservations

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is also the PML-N president, and disgruntled party leader Chaudhry Nisar in a meeting at the CM House on Monday discussed the key differences making headlines and probable common ground.

Nisar and Shahbaz had a tête-à-tête in the backdrop of several statements by the former that could have severely dented the party cohesion and proved damaging in view of the 2018 general elections.

In an interview with a private TV channel, the former interior minister had threatened to quit the party if “maltreatment” being meted out to him continued. He had also said that Nawaz would never allow Shahbaz to play the role of anything more than a second fiddle despite being the party president. It is, therefore, believed that the meeting was arranged in urgency in the backdrop of the rapid-fire dissent and threats by Nisar to part ways with the PML-N, which many believe won’t just be a solitary exit.

Sources privy to the talking points of the meeting told ‘The News’ that the PML-N leaders discussed the outstanding differences marring the relationship and probable common ground that could be reached to sort them out in a win-win situation on individual and party basis.

The sources also revealed that Shahbaz pursued Nisar to stay with the PML-N and told him that he was an asset of the party, which needed his experience and support in the current testing times. He also tried to pursue Nisar to take up any issues of disagreement directly with the party leaders instead of washing the laundry in public and giving undue opportunity to critics to have a field day.

It is believed that Shahbaz is most likely to share Nisar’s message with the PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif. However, whether both sides agreed to address the issues at the party forum and not to blow the matter over media could not be confirmed. Both leaders also discussed the political situation in the country and other party matters.