ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif must have raised many an eyebrow even in the ruling PML-N on Thursday when he protested that he was out of the loop about the operation two days ago around the Minhajul Quran secretariat until TV channels started reporting on the clashes between police and workers of the Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT).

The chief minister had come to the capital to give his version of Tuesday’s bloodshed in Lahore in a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to a government official privy to the deliberations, Mr Shahbaz said he first learned about the disturbance near the Minhajul Quran secretariat in Model Town at 8:30am. “He (Shahbaz) immediately ordered police to disengage,” the official said, recounting the proceedings.

“Soon after directing the police to disengage, I went to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court. During the ceremony I was informed that the situation was worsening. I again passed a message to police to back off.

The chief minister tells a meeting at the PM House that guards at the Minhaj secretariat were the first to open fire

“However, unfortunately police failed to implement my orders on time,” the official quoted the chief minister as telling a rapt audience, which included his elder brother, the prime minister.

According to Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab police made two cardinal mistakes: one, no prior permission was sought from him; and two, automatic weapons were taken to the scene when there was no such need.

It was quite embarrassing for the younger Sharif, who over the years had earned a reputation of being a good administrator, to accept that such an important operation was planned, decided and carried out without his knowledge.

“I will not spare anybody found involved in this situation which resulted in the loss of innocent lives people,” Mr Shahbaz promised to his elder brother.

However, he told the sitting that according to initial reports, guards at the Minhajul Quran secretariat were the first to open fire. Since their target was the police, the contingent fired back in panic, he contended.

When a question was raised as to how come he could trust the same police for further investigation which landed him in such an embarrassing predicament, CM Sharif replied: “To address this concern, I am conducting parallel inquiries. This will ensure that the guilty do not go scot-free.”

After carefully listening to his brother, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asked him to use all resources at his disposal for a speedy inquiry into the tragic standoff. “Forget about the political fallout of the inquiry. Your first task is to fix criminal responsibility in the case as soon as possible,” Mr Sharif was quoted as telling the CM.

The prime Minister, according a PML-N source, was furious over Tuesday’s clash in Lahore as it had virtually taken the sheen off the government’s decision to launch a military operation in North Waziristan.

DISPLACEMENT: During the meeting, the federal minister for states and frontier regions, Lt Gen (retired) Abdul Qadir Baloch, gave a presentation about the government’s efforts to ease the plight of internally displaced persons streaming out of North Waziristan.

The sitting was also attended by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Information Minister Senator Parvaiz Rashid, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq. Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan did not turn up because, according to PML-N sources, he was in Lahore for a medical check-up.

FAZL MEETS NAWAZ: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the JUI-F chief, called on the prime minister on Thursday to discuss the displacement spawned by the North Waziristan operation.

The Maulana asked Mr Sharif to give the people four days instead of three to move out of the conflict zone.

Nawaz Sharif assured the JUI-F chief that the government would do everything in its powers for welfare of the IDPs.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2014