Zardari to discuss city situation today

President Asif Ali Zardari has convened a meeting at the Presidency to review the prevailing law and order situation in Karachi on Friday (today).
According to official sources, all authorities concerned of the federal and Sindh governments, including Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Interior Minister Rehman Malik, are likely to attend the meeting.
Earlier, the meeting was scheduled to take place in Nawabshah, the native town of Zardari, upon his arrival there to attend the chehlum of his father, Hakim Ali Zardari.
However, the meeting was rescheduled for undisclosed reasons, and the chehlum gathering has also been convened at the Presidency on Friday.
Zardari, who arrived from abroad on Thursday, would also meet the leaders of his party, and is likely to discuss the issue of resignations tendered by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s ministers and Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan.
It is pertinent to mention here that any decision on all the resignations is still pending due to Zardari’s absence.
On the one hand, the impression that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is giving is that its doors are open for the MQM’s return to the government.
However, on the other hand, the PPP has started pressurising the MQM by deciding to take the administrative control of the City District Government Karachi, which has been governed by the MQM directly and indirectly since 2005.
The PPP also went on to threaten its annoyed coalition partner that it could also take the administrative control of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, another civic body that has remained under the control of the MQM.
The ruling PPP leadership in Sindh is already divided on the MQM issue. One of the party’s sections is not in favour of keeping the MQM out of the government and is asking the party’s high command not to accept the resignations of the MQM ministers for a few more days.
However, another group of the PPP supports the MQM’s decision to quit the government and is in favour of accepting the resignations and adopting a strict policy against the party.
According to latest developments, Zardari directed Malik to immediately proceed to Karachi to coordinate with the provincial government on issues relating to the law and order situation and the rampant targeted killings in the city.
Zardari also directed all officials concerned to deal with all criminal elements strictly, regardless of their political affiliations.
Malik is also expected to hold a meeting on the city situation with relevant officials at the Sindh Chief Minister House and then report back to Zardari.