In what seems to be a major setback, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has decided to halt the reconciliation process to convince its estranged former ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), to rejoin the federal and Sindh government until after the verdict of the Supreme Court in the suo motu case on the Karachi violence, Pakistan Today learnt on Friday. PPP insiders told Pakistan Today that President Asif Ali Zardari had instructed party leaders to stop the reconciliation process with the MQM till the final verdict of the Supreme Court.
The PPP had accepted the MQM’s demands to restore the Sindh Local Government Ordinance of 2001 and bar outspoken PPP leaders from issuing statements against the party, among others. While the final process of negotiation was supposed to be completed by Eidul Fitr and the MQM was to rejoin the government soon after Eid, the suo motu notice by the apex court had badly disrupted both parties’ plans, compelling the PPP to wait for the final decision of the court, the sources said.
PPP halts talks with MQM until SC verdict
