ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif summoned a meeting of the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leaders and advisers to discuss key national, security and political issues, DawnNews reported.
The meeting in the federal capital city was attended by Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Federal Information Minister Pervez Rasheed, Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Minister for Planning Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal among other party leaders and advisers.
Moreover, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan and Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar also attended the meeting.
Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was noticeably absent from the meeting.
Sources told Dawn that meeting also discussed strategy to cope with the agitation tactics of Dr Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan.
The PM made it clear that democracy is back but no one would be allowed to hold the democratic system hostage.
KP governor Sardar Mehtab briefed the meeting about measures being taken for welfare of internally displaced persons(IDPs).
Reports of a rift in the PML-N have been circulating in the media according to which differences had developed between the party leadership and Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
Also read: Shahbaz continues efforts to pacify Nisar
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif held two meetings with Nisar.
Although the party’s office-bearers and government functionaries have been constantly refuting such reports, no denial has so far been issued by the interior minister. When Shahbaz Sharif met Chaudhry Nisar on Tuesday, the party leadership claimed that he had gone there to inquire after the health of the minister, who had not been feeling well for a month.
Sources in the PML-N claimed that besides being unhappy over the government’s handling of the case of Pervez Musharraf, the minister was also jittery over non-allocation of funds for the internal security policy in the federal budget.