ISLAMABAD, Oct 12: Top brass of ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) gathered in the Presidency on Friday for a meeting chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari. The meeting is said to have lasted three hours.

President’s Spokesman Farhatullah Babar was reluctant to share details of the meeting with the media and issued a brief press release.

Asked if the issue of expected military operation in North Waziristan came under discussion, the spokesman said: “If the meeting continued for three hours, all important matters including North Waziristan would have been discussed,” he said. Some media reports said leaders of the ruling party expressed dissatisfaction over remarks made by Senator Faisal Raza Abidi during the recent Senate session and suggested that a second show-cause notice should be served on him.

When contacted, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira also declined to give details and said many internal party matters and national issues were discussed.Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani also attended the meeting.

The PPP leaders expressed solidarity with Malala Yousufzai who was attacked by Taliban for promoting education.

The leaders of the ruling party also exchanged views on general elections scheduled to be held in March next year.

Opinion

Editorial

Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...
A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...