ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) remained locked in consultation for around three hours late on Tuesday night to sort out their differences, with President Asif Ali Zardari making a last ditch effort to save the coalition by calling MQM chief Altaf Hussain and assuring him that all differences between the two parties would be removed. A source told Pakistan Today that the meeting ended on a positive note as both parties agreed to continue the dialogue to resolve all outstanding issues.
Taking note of recent developments in Karachi and the issues raised by the MQM delegation, the president said that he would convene a meeting within a week of the Sindh governor, chief minister and provincial leaders of the party to discuss solutions for issues raised by the MQM delegation. Zardari also assured the MQM that criminal elements would be dealt with sternly and every citizen of Karachi would be provided security.
He said that political forces should also be watchful and guard against elements seeking to drive a wedge between them and creating anarchy. Simultaneous meetings of the MQM Coordination Committee were held at Karachi and London and of the PPP Sindh chapter in Karachi to deliberate upon any situation arising from the MQM’s meeting with the president. The 4-member delegation of the MQM was led by Dr Farooq Sattar and included Senator Babar Ghauri, Raza Haroon and Saghir Ahmed. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and President’s Spokesman Farhatullah Babar were also present at the meeting.
Controversial statements by Sindh Interior Minister Zulfiqar Mirza have become cause for the latest PPP-MQM tussle in a series of political show-downs over the last few months. MQM ministers had resigned from the federal cabinet in protest earlier over increased petroleum prices and had decided to sit on opposition benches soon after the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) also parted ways with the government, leaving the PPP leading a minority government. The PPP had managed to soothe the MQM and the rocky relationship still continues.
However, the statement by Mirza in support of Layari Aman Committee seemed to be the last straw on the camel’s back and it provided the MQM an opportunity to press for their old demands as the minority government of the PPP would have no other option but to accept them.
