In continuation of its policy of ‘reconciliation’ and appeasement of its allies, the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was once again going to give a ‘lollypop’ to its ally, the Muttehida Qaumi Movement (MQM), by giving it the Sindh home ministry to try to control the worst law and order situation in the capital of the province.
However, the decision of handing over the home ministry was changed after strong resistance within the PPP, Pakistan Today has learnt from well-placed sources. A majority of MPAs and the senior leadership was against the move and this resistance compelled President Asif Zardari to go back on his word to their coalition partners.
The MQM had always given clear signals that it was interested in this portfolio. It constantly clamoured about the poor law and order situation of the city when outspoken PPP leader Dr Zulfikar Mirza was the home minister and also expressed dissatisfaction with the working of Manzoor Wassan. This left an obvious impression that the party was indirectly asking for this vital ministry.
Dr Zulfiqar Mirza remained the home minister for a considerable time until he was removed from the post as relations with the MQM deteriorated. He was replaced by Manzoor Wassan. In April, Wassan went abroad purportedly on medical grounds. But it is widely believed that he was sent on a forced leave by the PPP leadership as he had failed to properly run the affairs of the home department. Since then, the portfolio has been with the chief minister, Qaim Ali Shah. The PPP leaders that were being tipped for the job earlier were Agha Siraj Durrani and Nadir Magsi.Sources told Pakistan Today that the MQM had conveyed its demand to the PPP’s leadership to replace Home Minister Manzoor Wassan with an MQM nominee ‘to better control the law and order situation and nab extortionists in Karachi.’ The sources also said that the party had gone as far as threatening to detach itself from the coalition if it was not given the ministry. But after the PPP succeeded in wooing the party on the eleventh hour, the MQM members showed no signs of coming through on their threat.
These sources also told Pakistan Today that a majority of PPP MPAs had expressed their grievances with regards to the proposed decision of allotting the ministry to the MQM in a meeting with President Zardari and had said that the decision would harm the ruling party in upcoming general elections. This is what eventually dissuaded the president from taking the decision. Now, the portfolio will remain with the CM till the elections and the MQM – if it insists – would be accommodated in some other way, the sources added.
