PPP invites MQM to join Sindh govt

KARACHI, June 16: The PPP has formally invited Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to join the Sindh government.

A three-member PPP delegation led by President Asif Ali Zardari’s trusted lieutenant, Rehman Malik, and including Pir Mazharul Haq and Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman visited MQM’s Nine Zero headquarters on Sunday to extend the invitation.

Although the delegation was received by senior MQM leaders, workers of the party who on previous such occasions lined up and showered guests with flower petals and raised slogans were not there this time.

It appears that the MQM deliberately kept it low-key affair to dispel a perception that it was keen to join the government and the visit of the PPP delegation was a mere formality.

The MQM had left the previous PPP-led coalition government weeks before the May 11 general elections after accusing the PPP of patronising ‘criminals and terrorists’, not implementing the Sindh People’s Local Government Act, 2012, and creating obstacles for MQM ministers.

Relations between the two parties had touched a new low when Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah visited Lyari soon after taking oath of office for a fresh term and attended a reception reportedly hosted by Uzair Jan, the chief of the banned Peoples Amn Committee (PAC), described by the MQM as a gang of criminals.

Later, MQM chief Altaf Hussain said in a speech that there was no urban representation in the Sindh cabinet which comprised only people belonging to rural areas.

After arriving at the Nine Zero, leaders of the two parties held a closed-door meeting in which matters relating to formation of a coalition government, local government elections, activities of criminals and gangsters in Lyari, overall security situation, economic and political matters and the situation in Balochistan came under discussion.

MQM sources said the PPP was asked to act against Lyari gangsters and play its role in ending an unannounced operation against the MQM as well as raids, arrests and extrajudicial killings of its workers.

“We did not discuss anything regarding ministries,” said an MQM leader.

At a joint press conference after the meeting, Mr Malik said he had asked the MQM to join the Sindh government. “We have invited them today and now they will respond to our offer.”

The former interior minister declared that the PPP had nothing to do with the PAC. “The PPP and MQM should work together to improve the economy of Sindh and Pakistan and to work for peace in Karachi.”

He said the Sindh government was preparing a comprehensive policy to combat different mafias in the city.

Pir Mazhar and Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman said an alliance of the two parties was the need of the hour and in the interest of Sindh and democracy.

MQM leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui told reporters that his party would consider the PPP offer and take a decision after assessing opinion of workers and the general public.

Answering a question, he said the MQM role would always be in the interest of nation and it would never compromise on its principled stance.

He urged the Sindh government and President Zardari to take concrete steps for the recovery of eight ‘missing’ MQM workers and save lives of the party’s workers and supporters.