Sharif ready to mend fences with Zardari, accepts banquet invite for Chinese premier

Lahore, Dec.13 (ANI): Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari seems to have achieved some success in breaking the ice with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif, with the latter accepting the former's invitation to attend a banquet to be held in honour of visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Islamabad this week.

The meeting is being termed a significant move to build grounds for more direct contacts in the future, particularly in the wake of pending legislation on the Reformed General Sales Tax, the Daily Times reports.

Zardari is said to have extended the invite to Sharif on Sunday.

Pakistan People Party sources said a meeting between leaders of the political parties was in itself a great occasion.

The paper quoted sources, as saying that the PPP is eyeing the PML-N's support on the RGST, as not just being significant to control political fall-outs, but also to put the country on the track of self-reliance, a point being agitated quite vociferously by Nawaz and his party.

PPP sources did not rule out the possibility of RGST issue being taken up by either side on the first contact after a pause stretching over months.

They were optimistic that the meeting would pave the way for future contacts to evolve a joint strategy on issues, including the RGST, in a perpetual ease and calm the atmosphere for the PPP government in the Center. (ANI)