Zardari, Shehbaz call truce on public sparring

ISLAMABAD:

After weeks of political friction and increasingly public differences, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday moved to draw a line under their spat, agreeing to rein in public criticism and keep political disagreements from providing ammunition to their opponents.

The understanding, reached at a meeting at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, seeks to reset ties between the PPP and PML-N at a time when tensions between the coalition partners have increasingly spilled into the public domain.

The two sides agreed to defuse differences, reactivate their coordination committees and work together on the government's political and administrative responsibilities.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan and Senator Sherry Rehman.

A source who attended the meeting told The Express Tribune that all participants agreed to defuse tensions and move forward together instead of repeating what had happened in the past.

The source said the two sides would now work together to fulfil the government's administrative and political responsibilities.

PM Shehbaz also briefed President Zardari by telephone on the defence agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan. The briefing also reassured the president that he had not been ignored.

The source said the president, being senior in terms of his office, was accorded due respect by the prime minister.

It was also decided that the coordination committees previously constituted between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab and at the Centre would be fully activated.

The committees would address any gaps or issues faced by either party, with the participants agreeing that regular communication between political parties was the guarantee for moving forward together.

The meeting also reviewed remarks made by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi regarding administrative units, departments and the performance of governors.

Zardari also appreciated the efforts of PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal and Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir for transforming the longstanding fraternal ties among Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan into a stronger strategic partnership.

A Presidency's news release said the prime minister briefed the president on the historic peace agreement reached among Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan in Makkah.

The president expressed his best wishes for effective implementation of the trilateral peace agreement, particularly in promoting defence cooperation, regional peace and stability and the security of the Muslim Ummah.

The meeting also reviewed internal and external matters, with the participants paying tribute to the professional capabilities of Pakistan's armed forces and law-enforcement agencies in their operations against terrorists of Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij.

The leadership reaffirmed the resolve to completely eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country and ensure the security and stability of Pakistan.

In view of the prevailing regional situation, the president stressed the need for effective measures to provide relief to the people facing economic difficulties, ensure uninterrupted availability of essential commodities and make them accessible to the public at reasonable prices.

The president expressed the hope that Pakistan's effective diplomatic efforts for the promotion of regional and global peace would further strengthen the country's standing in the international community and generate positive dividends for the national economy and the lives of the people.