Every political leader in Pakistan will do what’s good for him. MQM pulled out of the coalition government at the centre as well as in Sindh while Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan, who has been the youngest and longest serving Governor of Sindh, also resigned with brief statement that he was the governor by the will and blessing of MQM’s leader Altaf Hussain and was now quitting as directed by him.
MQM’s Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar blamed the PPP government for its autocratic and dictatorial actions and unconstitutional steps that have compelled the MQM to part ways and sit in the opposition benches in the centre and Sindh provincial assembly. He said that despite the PPP repeatedly breaking promises, MQM kept working with PPP for the sake of democracy. The question is what was the real cause of MQM’s quitting government after remaining coalition partners for the last three and a half years? It cannot be the postponement of AJK elections for three seats representing the Kashmiris in Karachi and KP.
The MQM is not happy with the PPP in Sindh government because of its failure even to announce a date for holding the local government elections and depriving the MQM of its grip over Karachi and Hyderabad, the main political power bases of MQM. While the PPP prefers not to have competing centres of power in the shape of local councils and wants to regain its vote bank. Both parties are protecting their political interests. The general public is not convinced with the MQM’s pretext of leaving the government because it considers it an equal partner in commissions and omissions of the government. What has Altaf Hussain done to keep democracy on the right track and check the government during the last 10 years, being a part of the Musharraf government and the PPP government?
S T HUSSAIN
Lahore
