ISLAMABAD, Dec 4: After the Islamabad High Court reinstated Nadra chairman Tariq Malik within hours of his sacking by the government, close advisers of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif are divided over ways of handling the emerging situation.

Most of them want the government to stand by the decision and forcefully contest the case in the court.

Some of them, however, have advised the prime minister to back down and let Mr Malik complete the term of his contract which is due to expire on August 15, 2015.

They argue that the issue carried all the ingredients to create an explosive situation because the opposition parties, particularly the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, are ready to grab such opportunities with both hands.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Sharif met Supreme Court Advocate Akram Sheikh and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, separately. According to sources, they discussed the possible legal and political fallout in case the government decides to stick to its decision.

The sources said the prime minister also sought the opinion of some important people in the private sector.

The government terminated the contract of Mr Malik at around Monday-Tuesday midnight without giving him a show-cause notice.

Mr Malik moved the court on Tuesday morning and got his removal reversed. The next hearing of the case is on Dec 11.

A government official, who favours Mr Malik’s sacking, said that the Nadra chief’s contract included the provision that the prime minister being the appointing authority could cut short his tenure without giving any reason.

The only condition was to give him one month’s salary along with arrears which the government did before ending his contract, he said. “We are in the government and have every right to replace all those who were appointed by the outgoing PPP government.”

He said no violation had been committed in this case because “it happens all over the world where a new government appoints officials of its choice”.

He, however, agreed that the timing of the decision was far from being ideal. “Had the prime minister brought in a whole team of people to head various government organisations soon after assuming the charge, nobody would have bothered.”

The advisers who are cautioning Mr Sharif against possible repercussions of his decision argue that since the media was supporting Mr Malik “we need to be a bit careful”.

They say that even if the interior minister was justified in his decision to send the Nadra chairman home he should have waited for the ‘right time’. If the PML-N loses one or two National Assembly seats as a result of Nadra’s verification of voters’ thumb impressions heavens would not fall. Therefore, he should have been allowed to complete the verification before removing him.

But a government official said that if the PTI managed to make it an issue and raised it at its already announced protest demonstration in Lahore on Dec 22, things might go awry for the PML-N.

PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Information Secretary Dr Shireen Mazari met the Nadra chairman in his office on Wednesday and reportedly express support for him.

Mr Qureshi did not comment on the issue because the case is pending in court, but told newsmen that his party would stand by Mr Malik.

“Timing plays a crucial role in politics,” said the PML-N official who is reported to be advocating a soft approach.

If the prime minister agrees to retract the decision he will face the challenge of convincing Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali about the reason for lying low at this time.

According to Tariq Malik’s counsel Babar Sattar, the government was not happy with the way he carried out orders of election tribunals to verify thumb impressions of voters.Mr Malik has alleged that the ruling party pressurised him to stay away from NA-118, a constituency of Lahore where a PTI candidate challenged the victory of the PML-N candidate.

The PTI has sought similar verifications in the constituencies of National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq.