PM Nawaz excuses himself from meeting Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday excused himself from meeting with former President Asif Ali Zardari, PML-N sources revealed to Geo News.

According to sources, arrangements and protocol for the meeting had been finalised but the prime minister excused himself due to other commitments.

PM House sources told Geo News the former president’s criticism of the military establishment in a speech on Tuesday was the reason behind the prime minister cancelling the meeting. The prime minister was advised to not meet Zardari at this time as it would send the wrong message.

PPP sources told Geo News that a meeting had been scheduled between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the former president.

PPP leader Senator Farhatullah Babar confirmed there would be no meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and former President Zardari today (Wednesday).

In a speech on Tuesday Asif Ali Zardari warned against the character assassination of the PPP stating that if they started doing the same thing then no one would be spared including army generals.

Zardari went on to say that army chiefs come and go every three years but the political leadership is here to stay. "I don’t want the national institutions to weaken."

In response to Zardair’s speech, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the country was in a state of war with officers of the Pakistan Army making headway in Operation Zarb-e-Azb. The prime minister added that at a time like this criticising the armed forces was unacceptable.