Ali Zaidi, Sindh CM seek PM's intervention after spat during Karachi committee meeting.

KARACHI -- Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and federal Minister for Shipping and Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi penned letters to Prime Minister Imran Khan seeking his intervention after a terse exchange between the two during a meeting of the Karachi coordination committee on January 16, it emerged on Saturday.

In a series of posts on Twitter, the federal minister detailed his version of what transpired in the Jan 16 meeting, saying he had "requested CM Sindh to include the devolution of organisations like [Sindh Building Control Authority] SBCA and [Sindh Solid Waste Management Board] SSWMB to divisional levels as committed by him months ago".

Zaidi alleged the chief minister told him "I am not answerable to you" thrice at which he [Zaidi] walked out since "there was no further need for me to waste my time sitting in that meeting".

Zaidi also posted a copy of the letter the Sindh chief minister had purportedly written to the premier over the altercation, complaining of the federal minister's "unruly conduct".

According to the copy of CM Shah's letter to the PM shared by Zaidi - the authenticity of which was not challenged by Sindh Education Minister Saeed Ghani in a presser earlier today - Shah said Zaidi acted in a "hostile and belligerent manner" and that such conduct had been displayed by him in the past as well, which "was unbecoming of a citizen let alone a federal minister".

Shah said through his letter he was registering his protest with the prime minister and expecting "some action", adding that in the future he expected "maturity (to some extent), inter alia, will be seen as merit for appointments at such high positions".

Claiming that Shah did not have the "etiquette and manners on how to address the office of the prime minister", Zaidi also shared a copy of the letter he had written to the premier, responding to the "accusations of unruly behaviour".

In his letter to the prime minister, Zaidi said the accusations against him showed "clear mala fide intent", adding that the chief minister was...