President summons Khosa to Karachi

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari reiterated on Sunday his commitment to the “politics of reconciliation” and said it was shocking that people who had signed the Charter of Democracy were now indulging in “lotacracy”.

“We will not indulge in ‘lotacracy’ or politics of Chhanga Manga and will not allow anyone to derail the democratic dispensation,” sources quoted him as saying at a meeting.

The president, according to the sources, has summoned Punjab Governor Latif Khosa, Federal Law Minister Babar Awan and Interior Minister Rehman Malik to Karachi. The ministers and the governor are expected to meet the president on Monday to discuss PML-N’s move to remove PPP ministers from the Punjab cabinet, especially a summary in this regard sent to the governor by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Raza Rabbani met the president on Sunday and briefed him on the political situation in Punjab.

According to President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar, Mr Zardari, who returned here after a two-day visit to Kuwait, presided over two meetings at the Bilawal House on Sunday, one with the Sindh PPP Core Committee on the political situation and the other on development projects in Lyari.

The Core Committee’s meeting was attended by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and provincial ministers Pir Mazharul Haq, Dr Zulfikar Mirza, Agha Siraj Durrani, Nadir Magsi and Ayaz Soomro.

Farhatullah Babar said the meeting reviewed the political situation in the country and in Sindh, coalition matters and development projects in the province.

The meeting expressed the view that the policy of reconciliation should continue despite the provocations, but the party should be prepared to meet the challenges.

The meeting on Lyari focused on development projects in the area and steps being taken to implement them on time.

On Tuesday, the president is expected to meet MQM leaders to discuss issues pertaining to Karachi.