August 07, 2006	Monday	Rajab 11, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 6:The ruling Pakistan Muslim League Sindh forward bloc will be holding a meeting with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz here on Monday to discuss with him the grievances that the group had with the provincial chief minister.

The meeting was sought recently by the group with the president and prime minister during its meeting with party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.

Sources believe that Chaudhry Shujaat would also be present in the meeting and if the need arose President Musharraf could also join it. The woes of the PML it appears are not over yet as its Sindh forward bloc continues to put pressure on provincial party president and Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim Khan to give in to their demands.

Earlier, the group had held a meeting with party president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to vent its grievances with regard to the running of the party and government in the province.

MrHussain had advised the group to shun its differences with Arbab who enjoyed full party and the president’s support.

The forward bloc is said to be enjoying behind the scene support from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) whose ministers and advisers had resigned last week to cause fissures in the ruling coalition.

The sources claimed that the PML forward bloc’s demand of replacement of the provincial chief minister had already been rejected by Islamabad. However, its pressure could force the chief minister to withdraw the corruption cases against some of its members besides some other concessions in development funds.

Prominent leaders of the forward bloc include former provincial minister Imtiaz Sheikh, Raheela Tiwana, Pappu Shah and others. Federal ministers Liaqat Ali Jatoi and Ghaus Bakhsh Maher were also part of the estranged group who will be included in the delegation to meet the premier.

The group leaders have stated in their interviews in the federal capital that they can not go along with Arbab for his policy of isolating, ignoring and even humiliating them.