RAIWIND Adviser to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik called on PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif at the latter's Raiwind residence here on Sunday to convey a 'special message' from President Asif Zardari and discuss a variety of issues ranging from the lawyers' proposed long march to Punjab governor's controversial statements; Sharifs' disqualification case and the bills tabled by various political parties in the National Assembly for undoing the 17th Amendment.

The overall law and order situation in the country and Pakistan-India tensions in the wake of Mumbai attacks were also discussed in the meeting, which was also attended by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

PML-N officials would not divulge any details of Mr Zardari's message but claim that Mr Malik visited Raiwind to seek support of the Punjab government 'in handling the proposed long march without any eventuality.
 
Mr Malik wants the PML-N to extend but only a symbolic support to the lawyers and avoid making it a big show in the wake of the deteriorating law and order situation and tensions on borders, a party official said.

Mr Sharif demanded the PPP first implement the Charter of Democracy (CoD) that he and Benazir Bhutto had signed besides fulfilling the promise of reinstatement of deposed judges, the officials said.

He said his party would extend all out support to the legal community which, he said, was struggling for the independence of judiciary and rule of law.

He also told Malik that the PML-N wanted the government to bring the bill in the parliament for repealing the 17th amendment, but when it did not, the PML-N decided to accept the responsibility.

Seeking PPP's support for the bill, he hoped all democratic forces would be in favour of the 18th amendment.

Mr Shairf also expressed his reservations on the attitude of Mr Taseer and demanded that the PPP leadership bar the governor from issuing controversial statements, the officials said, adding, the visitor was told that if allowed to go unchecked, the attitude would result in increasing tensions in Punjab between the two coalition partners.

Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Mr Malik said talks with Mr Sharif primarily focused on the law and order situation in the country and on foreign threats.

He said all the allied parties had been consulted on the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks.

He said the PPP government talked of politics of consensus and that he had visited Mr Sharif to take him into confidence on various issues of national importance.

He said the government would accept the decision of the parliament on the 17th amendment as the parliament represents the whole nation.

Lauding Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif's efforts in maintaining law and order in the province, Mr Malik said these efforts bore fruits and Lahore blasts accused were arrested.

He said he had shared the information with Shahbaz Sharif relating to the arrests made in connection with Mumbai attacks.

He also appreciated the provincial government's cooperation in making effective the operation against Jamaatud Dawa and Lashkar-i-Taiba.