ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has indicated that some of his cabinet colleagues nursing grudge may be covertly spreading propaganda against him.

In a belated explanatory note released to media here on Monday, he said his recent meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had focused on national and political matters and had nothing to do with his reported differences with the PML-N leadership.

“How can I raise any personal issue when the country is engulfed in a quagmire of problems. It neither happened in the past nor will it happen now,” he added.

He said the meeting was not meant to lodge a complaint against any minister. Neither any minister is interfering in his ministry nor can someone meddle in it. “As a matter of fact my terms with not only parliament but also with the entire parliamentary party are pleasant in nature.”

Related: PM meets Nisar in bid to win back his trust

Chaudhry Nisar said he was surprised to see reports mentioning the name of Ishaq Dar and added that there was no misunderstanding between him and the finance minister. “We have a relationship based on respect and this is true when it comes to the nature of my terms with other members of the cabinet.”

He rejected a perception that more than one group was emerging within the PML-N. “However, if somebody is doing something for personal publicity, or one or two ministers are trying to quell the fire of their grudge by behind-the-scenes activities meant to play up something, it neither has any significance nor is it a matter of concern for me,” he said.

Many wonder why the interior minister chose to remain tight-lipped when reports about his abs­ence from parliament and his perceived opposition within the party were subject of TV talk shows.

He did not talk about a series of meetings with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who was reportedly trying to pacify him.

Reports suggested that certain elements in the party wanted retired Lt Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch to be appointed as interior minister. There were also reports about his differences with Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq.

Also read: ‘Cracks’ surface in Nisar’s ties with PM

Reports started emerging in mid-June that Chaudhry Nisar was not happy with the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.

What lent credence to the perception was his prolonged absence from television channels after the Karachi airport came under attack on June 8. Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah had disclosed on the floor of the house that the prime minister could not trace his interior minister between the night of the attack and the next morning.

Chaudhry Nisar did not come to the National Assembly when the budget was presented. He skipped two assembly sessions attended by the prime minister.

Previously, he always remained by Nawaz Sharif’s side when the latter walked in.

There were reports that the interior minister was unhappy with the prime minister’s handling of the tussle between the Geo network and the military establishment. There were speculations also that Chaudhry Nisar wanted the prime minister to soften his stance against former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2014