As efforts are being made to reconcile the ruling PPP and its former ally MQM, the leadership of both parties have asked their respective leaders to restrain from making hard-hitting statements against each other. A PPP source told Pakistan Today that President Asif Ali Zardari’s strategy was bearing fruit and after an exchange of positive messages, both parties had finally decided to stop making statements against each other.
“Yes, as a confidence-building measure, PPP Co-chairperson Zardari has stopped all party leaders from making controversial statements against the MQM. We hope that the MQM will do the same. Through some friends, the dispute (between PPP and MQM) will soon be resolved and the MQM’s reservations will be addressed within a few days,” a PPP leader said on Friday.
He said the PPP leadership had conveyed the sentiment to the MQM chief. He said some behind-the-scene parleys were being held between the representatives of both parties, in London and Karachi simultaneously and something good will soon be announced. “Once the matter is resolved in totality, there is a possibility of a meeting between President Zardari with Altaf Hussain in London or an MQM delegation may hold a meeting with the president or Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani in Islamabad. But this will only happen, if talks make some breakthrough,” the source said.
When contacted to seek comments about the PPP claims of not receiving former Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan’s resignation, MQM leader and MNA Wasim Akhtar said, “We will not respond over the issue for the time being.”