Sharif, Bajwa to amicably' resolve leaked report row

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa have resolved to “amicably” address the differences over a leaked report that had angered the powerful army, a media report said on Saturday.

In October, a columnist for Dawn wrote a front-page story about a rift between civilian and military leaderships over militant groups that operate from Pakistan but engage in proxy war against India and Afghanistan. The Army resented the “leaked news” item and asked for a probe.

The military had demanded full implementation of recommendations by a committee which probed a story of a meeting in which civilian leaders confronted the military over its alleged reluctance to halt Islamist groups in the country.

Mr Sharif following the findings of the committee sacked his foreign policy aide Tariq Fatemi but the Army rejected the move, triggering speculation about the public posturing by the military.

However, the situation was apparently brought under control during a meeting between Mr Bajwa and Mr Sharif. Geo News reported that the meeting was held on Thursday night at the “wish” of the prime minister. It said both had a pleasant meeting.