PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari accompanied with a high powered delegation including his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to condole the death of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz with Nawaz Sharif at Jaati Umra may have broken the ice in the soured relations between the two leaders and set the stage for a future understanding.
This was the consensus amongst political leaders in the capital in an anecdotal survey carried out by this correspondent. However while talking to Business Recorder, PPP Secretary General Farhatullah Babar denied there was any discussion on political matters, saying: "it was purely a condolence meeting with the Sharif family".
"It was not an appropriate occasion to discuss politics as the Sharif family is grieving," he added. Babar said that he and other PPP leaders including former Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Rehaman Malik and others were present during the meeting.
He said that Bilawal Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari expressed their condolence with the Sharif family on the passing away of Begum Kalsoom Nawaz and paid tribute to the former First Lady for her struggles for democracy.
According to sources however Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif shared their experiences while in jail during the meeting; and also held a brief discussion on the living conditions at Adiala Jail. Sharif reportedly told Zardari that he was in a small barrack with barely enough space to lay a prayer mat and that he and his daughter could only meet once a week.
Zardari told Nawaz Sharif that he was in jail when his mother fell seriously ill. "I was offered parole and I refused. But on the insistence of my sister I availed parole and met my mother. My mother shed tears during my last meeting with her which upsets me to this day," Zardari was quoted by sources as sharing with Nawaz.
A PML-N source quoted Nawaz Sharif as saying: "I regret I was not with Kulsoom during her last days," and Zardari responded that the PPP stood by the Sharif family in this difficult time and termed Begum Kalsoom's death a "great loss".