ISLAMABAD: After burying the hatchet, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan held a three-hour one-to-one meeting on Tuesday, ostensibly to catch up on all pending business that has been delayed ever since the last time the two saw each other over a month ago.

According to a tailor-made statement issued after the meeting by the Prime Minister’s Office, the two discussed a host of issues, including the ongoing military action in North Waziristan, measures for the upkeep of internally displaced persons (IDPs), the Karachi operation and the overall security situation of the country and the recently-passed Protection of Pakistan Bill.

Moreover, the statement said, the two also discussed the prevailing political situation in the country following the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s call for a long march on the capital on August 14 if its concerns regarding electoral rigging in the 2013 elections were not addressed.

Holds three-hour meeting with PM to discuss issues left pending over his month-long absence

In their communiqué, though, the media wing of the PM’s Office specifically mentioned that the meeting took place ‘in a very cordial atmosphere’.

Chaudhry Nisar was in Lahore over the weekend, where he met the prime minister. Though he has publicly denied any rifts with the PML-N leadership, insiders say the meeting was meant to defuse the tensions simmering between the two senior leaders.

The interior minister, who is usually at the prime minister’s side on important occasions, was conspicuous by his absence from the all-important budget session at the National Assembly, something the press picked up on immediately. Rumours of tensions between the two were lent credence when Nisar remained absent from meetings held at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, reportedly, acted as mediator between the quarrelling leaders and made several trips to Islamabad to try and win over the sulking minister. Finally, Nisar travelled to meet Nawaz at his Jati Umrah residence in Raiwind, where the prime minister spends his weekends.

Talking to Dawn, a senior government official said, “Of course Chaudhry Nisar wasn’t happy with the prime minister, but there could be several reasons for that.” The official said that despite their differences “there was no doubt from day one that the two have no other option but to sit together and resolve their issues.”

Explaining the reason behind Tuesday’s marathon meeting, the official said their meeting in Lahore was arranged as a catharsis session so Chaudhry Nisar could vent his grievances in front of the prime minister. “Here, at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad, it was all about pending business, which the interior minister took up with the prime minister.”

“To us, everything seems normal now,” the official concluded.

On Monday, Chaudhry Nisar issued a press statement clarifying that he had no differences with the leadership and the parliamentary party. He also dispelled the impression that there were issues between him and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Separately, Mr Dar also met the prime minister on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2014