RAWALPINDI, March 28: President Pervez Musharraf has directed Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad and Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim to end their differences, forge a better working relationship and improve the law and order situation in the province. The president held on Tuesday a meeting with the two coalition partners at the Army House, which was attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and National Security Council’s Secretary Tariq Aziz.

Apart from discussing the row between the governor and the chief minister, the meeting also discussed the political situation and the pace of development work in the province.

Both President Musharraf and Prime Minister Aziz stressed the need for unity and harmony in Sindh and assured the Sindh leaders that the federal government was taking necessary measures for equitable development of rural and urban Sindh.

The president urged the Sindh leaders to jointly monitor the pace of development work in the province and directed them to use their authority without interfering in each other’s sphere of work.

The Sindh governor and the chief minister, who had arrived here on Monday evening, presented points of view on the discord.

Earlier, Tariq Aziz presented a report to President Musharraf in this regard.

Sources said that Arbab Ghulam Rahim had accused the governor of interfering in provincial government’s affairs and trying to force him into toeing his line. The chief minister, the sources added, believed that the MQM was trying to get more seats in the federal cabinet.

On the other hand, the sources said, the governor complained that the chief minister deliberately put MQM minister’s files on hold, which led to non-execution of projects.

The Sindh chief minister also complained that both governor and Karachi Nazim had started different programmes without his permission and that files forwarded to him were against rules and regulations.

The president called for creating accord on all issues in Sindh and said the main purpose of the coalition government was to solve people’s problems.

President Musharraf said that the opposition parties might take advantage of the row between the governor and the chief minister.—Agencies