In what appears to be a last ditch effort to reconcile with estranged ally the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), President Asif Ali Zardari held an unexpected meeting with MQM leader Dr Ishratul Ebad in Dubai on Wednesday, Gulf News reported.
Ebad, who resigned as Sindh governor after MQM decided to part ways with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led government last week, went to meet President Zardari at Dubai International Airport on Wednesday morning. Zardari was transiting on his way from London to Pakistan. Zardari has become personally involved in the negotiations as the PPP government seems to be in trouble after the MQM joined ranks with its archrival, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Zardari has so far not accepted Ebad’s resignation and reportedly urged him to continue on his position, but the latter said that the decision would be taken by the top MQM leadership. Earlier, Zardari also extended his stay in London in a bid to sort out issues with MQM chief Altaf Hussain, but the latter did not meet him.
EFFORTS: The political alliance between the PML-N and MQM was announced Wednesday after a successful meeting between Senator Ishaq Dar of the PML-N with MQM leaders Dr Farooq Sattar and Ebad on Monday in Dubai. Both Dar and Sattar came to Dubai from Pakistan especially to finalise the agreement on the alliance.
Sources close to PML-N said that the MQM would probably get an important role in the grand opposition alliance against the PPP government.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif met Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Fazlur Rehman in London. Fazl said all parties should work together for the welfare of Pakistan and thanked the PML-N for its friendly overtures.