- MQM’s Jalil says JUI-F chief, government have not contacted party as yet, demands Karachi operation’s monitoring, end to MQM’s ‘extra judicial killing’
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman, chief negotiator between the federal government and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seek some “concessions” from the military establishment for the MQM so that the concerns of Altaf Hussain-led party could be redressed, Pakistan Today has learnt reliably.
A JUI-F source, on anonymity, told Pakistan Today that Fazl had conveyed this message to the prime minister during his separate meetings with PM’s Political Secretary Dr Asif Kirmani and PM’s Legal Adviser Ashtar Ausaf Ali.
Fazl had said on Friday that he must have full mandate before leaving for London if he had to play any role to woo back MQM, whose parliamentarians had tendered resignations from the assemblies.
“Fazlur Rehman believes that the establishment had taken a strong stance against the MQM and before playing a role for reconciliation, it is necessary to soften the military’s stance,” the source said.
“Though Fazl has already scheduled his visit to London, he will only play a reconciliatory role if he is given full assurance and powers. Otherwise, he would not play any role as MQM chief has taken a strong stance this time around,” the source added.
The source said that during the meeting, Kirmani assured full support from the prime minister and urged Fazl to play his reconciliatory role.
During his separate meeting with Ashtar Ausaf, Fazl was briefed over the possible legal provisions to help reverse the resignations of the MQM lawmakers.
“Fazl believes that in principle, the resignations of the MQM lawmakers have been accepted and it’s now a closed transaction. Fazl thinks that the MQM should also be compensated as was the case with the lawmakers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),” the source added.
On the other hand, Ausaf told Fazl that in legal terms, MQM’s lawmakers could be accommodated, source said.
“Quoting various court verdicts, Ausaf told Fazl that recently the Islamabad High Court had ruled that the speaker/chairman had full powers in this regard and only they could decide whether or not they were convinced that the resignations were tendered without any pressure,” the source said, adding that the MQM lawmakers could be re-summoned by speaker/chairman individually to authenticate the free will of the MQM legislators.
When contacted, MQM’s spokesman Wasay Jalil told Pakistan Today from MQM’s London Secretariat that the MQM chief was ready for “meaningful dialogue” over the resignations of the party’s lawmakers.
He said till date, neither Fazl nor Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had contacted any MQM leader yet formally.
“We were busy in celebrations of the Independence Day and so was the government. So hopefully, any contact would be possible from today (Sunday),” he added.
Asked whether Fazl had informed Hussain about his London trip, Jalil said that no such plan was shared with the MQM leadership yet.
Asked about the MQM’s demands, Jalil said there were no such demands but the MQM wanted the federal government to fulfill its promises made with the MQM leadership. “We want the government to form a monitoring committee as promised in past to oversee the operation in Karachi. We also want assurances for an end to the extra judicial killings of our workers and justice for those killed in such circumstances,” he added.
Asked whether the MQM wanted an end to the operation in Karachi, Jalil categorically said that it was wrong to assume that the MQM wanted an end to the operation. “It was actually the MQM which had demanded an operation against criminals in Karachi. However, it’s unfortunate that we are being targeted,” he added.
MQM’s Senator Col (r) Tahir Mashhadi also confirmed that no contact had been made from the government or the JUI-F as yet.