ISLAMABAD - Former president Asif Zardari on Thursday meet Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif and discussed Sindh government’s issues relating to the NFC Award, increasing electricity load-shedding in Karachi and security steps being taken in the wake of Safora Chorangi carnage.
Former president was assisted in the meeting by Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah and Saleem Mandviwala while Federal Finance Minister Senator Ishaq Dar was also present in the meeting.
It was the second meeting between Zardari and Nawaz Sharif in last 24 hours as both leaders met at the fringes of the briefing arranged for the Parliamentary parties heads to allay their concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor at the PM House on Wednesday last. Following the briefing, both the leaders flew together to Karachi where they attended a high-level meeting on security following Safora Chorangi carnage.
Sources aware of the deliberations informed The Nation that Premier Sharif directed Finance Minister to address all the genuine concerns of Sindh government relating to NFC Award and in this connection both sides would be meeting again in a next few days to remove the irritants.
Development projects in Sindh, especially those funded by the federal government also figured in the meeting with Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif wanted all these projects to be completed in the stipulated time period because delay in the projects would incur extra cost which government could not afford.
Sources in government further informed that Premier Sharif has also assured former president Asif Ali Zardari that he would personally look into the complaint of increasing load-shedding in Karachi and in this connection would direct the Water and Power Ministry to take appropriate measures to redress the complaint.
Sources further informed that both the leaders have expressed satisfaction over the steps taken jointly by federal and Sindh governments for sprucing up security in the port city of Karachi and once again expressed their resolve that the only option with the government is to eliminate militants from across the country.
Sources said that former president Asif Ali Zardari, who is also co-chairman of Pakistan People’s Party, assured all-out support to the government in fight against terror and reiterated his party’s support to all the policies and projects of federal government aimed at bringing peace and economic prosperity to the country.