KARACHI, Feb 21: A cease fire brokered by PML Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Syed between Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Imtiaz Shaikh could not hold even for 24 hours and their supporters staged rallies outside the Karachi Press Club and raised slogans against each other on Monday afternoon.

However, before the situation could take a violent turn, police intervened and separated fist-raising supporters from each other who later dispersed raising slogans in support of their leaders.

Mushahid Hussain was sent to the city from Islamabad on Sunday by PML chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to stop Dr Arbab Rahim and Mr Shaikh from issuing statements against each other. During his stay, he held separate meetings with them and asked them to observe a cease fire as the party high command would decide the matter which would be binding on both.

The PML secretary-general, who also had a meeting with Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad on Sunday, left for Islamabad on Monday to submit his report to the party chief and the prime minister.

On Monday afternoon, supporters of both leaders held demonstrations in front of the KPC at the same time. One group was demanding dismissal of the chief minister while the other was demanding the removal of the sacked minister from the party office.

Mr Shaikh's supporters also held a meeting at the PML House on Monday where the MSF announced that it would stage rallies in support of Mr Shaikh in different cities of Sindh from tomorrow.

Addressing party leaders and workers who had come from different parts of Sindh, Mr Shaikh said he had accepted the ceasefire on the instruction of the party high command and would continue to pay attention to the party membership drive and preparations for the coming local bodies elections. He also welcomed the prime minister's inspection team for investigating charges against him and the chief minister.

He warned the bureaucracy not to become part of what he called an internal matter of the party. He demanded the party leadership to ensure release of all party workers and withdrawal of cases against him.

The chief minister held a meeting with PML parliamentary party members at the Chief Minister's House which was attended by ministers including Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmed, Pir Sadruddin Shah, Mr Nadir Akmal Leghari and others where they are reported to have reviewed the situation against the backdrop of the coming session of the assembly requisitioned by the opposition from Feb 25.

Earlier on Sunday after his meeting with the governor, the PML secretary-general told a group of newsmen that he had listened to the points of view of both Dr Arbab Rahim and Mr Shaikh and had asked them not to issue statements against each other.

"I also discussed the issue with the governor," he said and added that in the light of his findings he would submit a detailed report to the party president and also to the prime minister.

Mr Syed denied there was any crisis in Sindh, only a political problem which, he said, would soon be resolved amicably. The Sindh governor who was present on the occasion said in reply to a question that he was duty-bound to coordinate all efforts meant to resolve differences between the chief minister and Mr Shaikh for the stability of the government and betterment of the people. He also said that the Sindh government was intact and there was no change in the offing.

APP ADDS: Chief Minister Arbab Rahim said his government or the PML faced no crisis. In reply to a question, he said he would abide decisions taken by the central leadership of the PML.