Pak interior minister postpones key presser due to backache

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar today postponed a crucial news conference on the ongoing rift in Pakistan's ruling party PML-N citing a "severe backache", amid reports that the top party leaders were trying for a patch-up between him and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Nisar was scheduled to address the presser to share his reservations on policies of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership, The Express Tribune reported.
"The minister has been advised complete bed rest due to severe back pain," read a statement issued by the Interior Ministry.
"The press conference will now be held at 5pm on Monday," it said.

Requesting the media to stop unnecessary speculation on the matter, the statement said the postponement of the interior minister's press talk was caused by his ill health.
Earlier, sources had said the PML-N leaders were trying to convince Nisar not to go for the conference and refrain from targeting policies of his party's leadership.

Senior PML-N leaders were reportedly trying to convince Nisar either to call off his press conference or to avoid targeting the party leadership.
Geo News had reported that Nisar was absent from several key Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) meetings recently as the party deliberated to chalk out a strategy pertaining to the Panama Papers case against the Sharif family.

Nisar is said to have developed differences with Sharif after a Joint Investigation Team report was submitted in the Supreme Court in the case. Nisar reportedly favoured the premier's resignation, the report said.
He also opposed Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who is one of the leading candidate for the premiership in case the apex court disqualify Sharif, the report added.