The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) agreed late on Tuesday night to revive their partnership in the Centre and Sindh, with the former likely to rejoin the coalition government in Sindh within the next 48 hours, and the federal government in the second phase, Pakistan Today has learnt.
A PPP leader told Pakistan Today that Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad held a quiet meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari here and conveyed a message from MQM chief Altaf Hussain. He said finally the MQM had consented to rejoin the government in Sindh and the Centre, however, the return of the MQM would be in phases and not at once. An MQM leader confirmed the reconciliation between the two estranged partners and said if things remained on track, his party may rejoin the Sindh government in the next 48 hours.
MQM Spokesman Wasay Jalil confirmed to Pakistan Today that a meeting between President Zardari and Governor Ebad had taken place but said no decision had been made about MQM rejoining the government. “Look, the governor is the representative of the federation and the president can summon any governor anytime.
But let me tell you that no decision has been made on MQM rejoining the federal or Sindh governments as this is the mandate of the Rabita Committee to take such a decision. Moreover, many issues are still pending and until they are resolved, the MQM cannot rejoin the government,” he said.
When asked what issues were still unresolved, Jalil said many issues were yet to be resolved and only the Rabita Committee would take a decision on the fate of the coalition government. He admitted that things were improving for some time between the PPP and the MQM but this did not meant that his party was in any hurry to rejoin the Sindh or federal government.
MQM likely to rejoin Sindh govt in next 48 hours
