February 4, 2002	Monday	Ziqa’ad 20, 1422

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 3: The Pakistan Muslim League (QA) on Sunday accepted the explanation of its vice-president Mir Zafarullah Jamali about his recent meeting with the former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, in Jeddah.

According to sources, the meeting of the Central Working Committee, which was presided over by Mian Mohammad Azhar, discussed Mr Jamali’s meeting with the deposed premier during his Umra pilgrimage. A complaint in this regard was lodged by party leader Azim Chaudhry.

Initially when the meeting began its proceedings and Mr Jamali was asked to give his viewpoint, he became furious and offered his resignation from the party office as well as from basic membership of the party.

He said: “If my loyalty is being questioned for my personal affairs, I hereby tender my resignation from the party to satisfy my critics.”

He strongly criticized the credentials of the complainant for “his dubious connections” and said: “I hold a rich political family background and am a person of integrity.” He added: “I do not deny having met the former premier and also don’t keep secret my personal relations with him as the said meeting had nothing to do with politics.”

When things started getting emotional with Mr Jamali’s offer to resign, the party president, Mian Azhar, intervened and not only accepted the reason behind the said meeting but also pacified Mr Jamali after which he was pressed to withdraw his resignation.