Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif Tuesday told Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to resolve the issue of Panama leaks without wasting any further time as Pakistan was facing not only internal challenges but also numerous external threats, a private TV channel claimed through its sources.

The two leaders, who met after almost one-and-a-half month,reiterated their resolve to root out corruptionfrom the country and agreed that no compromise would be made on the menace in any department at any scale.The army chief reportedly stressed upon the prime minister to settle thematter of Panama leaks in consultation with the opposition.

After the news was aired on the electronic media, the spokesman of the Prime Minister’s House issued astatement urging media to abstain from issuing reports based on mere speculations.The PM’s media office also released a 22-second video of the meeting,with sound bite of both army chief and the prime minister. In the video, the prime minister is heard telling the army chief about his health and the schedule of his next medical checkup.The army chief speaks about ‘four weeks’, though not clear but it seems that he referred to the prime minister’s health matter.

After the one-on-one meeting, Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif jointly presided over another meeting regarding law and order situation, which was attended by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Interior MinisterChaudharyNisar Ali Khan, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif, DG ISI LtGen RizwanAkhtar and other high officials as well.

DG ISI LtGen RizwanAkhtar briefed themeeting about progress in the operation against terrorists. The meeting was told that after the arrest of criminal elements in Punjab and other provinces, their facilitators were also being apprehended.

Sources said that internal security and political issues were also discussed in the meeting and the participants agreed that in the present circumstances, political stability was a must.

The issue of US refusal to fund F-16 fighter jetswas also discussed.The meeting expressed displeasure over ineffective role played by the Foreign Office to counter propaganda by the Indian lobby.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Interior Minister ChaudharyNisar Ali Khan made untiring efforts during last one-and-a-half month to make possible Tuesday’s one-on-one meeting between the two leaders. The meeting that lasted for more than an hourwas held in ‘cordial atmosphere’, the sources said. After the meeting, the prime minister held consultations with Ishaq Dar and ChaudharyNisar Ali Khan.

Sources claimed that more contacts would be made in future to settle all the issues related to civil-military working relationship amicably.