April 05, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 16, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, April 4: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Jehangir Tareen on Wednesday announced withdrawal of his resignation after a meeting with President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

The minister had resigned in protest against the maltreatment and killing of his two supporters by police in Rahimyar Khan during a rally organised by Functional Muslim League allegedly on the orders of Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

“The president has assured me of justice and a judicial inquiry into the police brutality on my supporters in Rahim Yar Khan,” Mr Tareen told Dawn by telephone.

“I have withdrawn my resignation on the directive of the president,” Mr Tareen said.

The president summoned Mr Tareen for a meeting on Wednesday after reports appeared in a section of the press about his resignation, asking him to resume his responsibilities as a minister.

Mr Tareen resigned on Saturday and sent his resignation to the prime minister, expressing serious reservations over policies of the Punjab government and the Punjab chief minister.

Mr Tareen said the president also summoned Punjab Chief Minister and MNAs from Rahim Yar Khan and discussed the matter.

The minister said he told the president that if he (Mr Tareen) could not provide protection to life and honour of his supporters then holding a ministerial position was useless.

The minister said the president gave him a patient hearing and assured him of a judicial inquiry into the matter.