Pakistani minister quits, police round up his guards

ISLAMABAD - Minister of State for Shipping Nabeel Gabol resigned from the government Wednesday and in a dramatic move immediately later 11 guards at his Karachi home were rounded up by the police.

the daily Dawn reported that Gabol sent his resignation to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani Wednesday.

He said he had informed President Asif Ali Zardari and the prime minister that the people of his Lyari constituency had hoped that their problems, particularly of unemployment, would be solved, but he failed to come up to their expectations. Lyari is in Sindh province.

Gabol said the situation was embarrassing also for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Soon after his resignation, police rounded up Gabol’s 11 guards from his residence in the port city of Karachi.

He told a TV channel that his 11 guards have been taken away by police in a commando-style raid.

The media report did not make it clear as to why his guards were rounded up.

Gabol cited “personal reasons” for his resignation. Sources, however, said he had taken the step after getting a cold response from the party leadership over his “complaints and grievances” about the functioning of his ministry.

To a query, Gabol said he has no differences with the party leadership.

“I will continue to work as a worker of the PPP.”