KARACHI, Dec 29: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Sunday paid a visit to the PN dockyard where he was given an important briefing concerning defence matters.

Although there was no word about the president’s engagements in the city either from the ISPR or the Press Information Department, it was reliably learnt that, in view of the US moves whose repercussions are to be felt in the region, President Musharraf was given a detailed briefing in the perspective of the developments that are taking place.

The US has ordered deployment of its 25,000 troops to the Persian Gulf region and the Navy has been asked to prepare amphibious assault groups for possible action against Iraq.

President Musharraf arrived in Karachi on Saturday evening. Although his scheduled engagements have not been made public for security reasons, he is likely to stay in the province for a few days. However, informed sources said that on Sunday, the president, besides visiting the dockyard, also met some political leaders.

His other engagements during his stay in the metropolis, the sources claimed, include sorting out of the differences among the ruling coalition partners about the allotment of portfolios, which has been the cause of delay in the formation of the provincial cabinet.