Zardari-Nawaz meeting begins in Raiwand after 8 months

Updated at: 1506 PST, Friday, July 17, 2009 LAHORE: The meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League (N) quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif has begun.This is the first meeting in eight months between the two leaders at luncheon.On arriving at the old airport of Lahore, chief minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif and senior leader of PML (N) Khwaja Asif welcomed the president. The president was accompanied by Governor Punjab Salman Taseer and senator Jahangir Badar.The president was brought by helicopter to Raiwand where Mian Nawaz Sharif himself received him.According to sources, present in the meeting are Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Raja Zafarul Haq, Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa, Pervez Rasheed, Khwaja Saad Rafiq, Khwaja Asif, Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, Ghaus Ali Shah and Sardar Yaqoob Nasir.From Pakistan People’s Party, president Zardari is accompanied by Ahmed Mukhtar, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Nazar Mohammad Gondal, Mian Raza Rabbani, Raja Riaz, Farhatullah Babar, Syed Khursheed Shah and Dr Babar Awan.Sources said that a one-on-one meeting is also expected between president Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif.The sources said that besides reviewing the challenges being faced by the country, all the matters including the17th amendment, 58-2B and Charter of Deemocracy will also be discussed in the meeting.