MQM-P denies internal rifts over Tessori’s appointment

KARACHI: In late night media talk, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leadership on Thursday dispelled the impression that the party was about to quit the ruling coalition in the federal government, saying they had made some progress in talks with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for amending the local government law.

The party leaders also dismissed reports of internal rifts within the party over the appointment of Kamran Tessori as the Sindh governor. When asked if there were differences within the party, MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, who was accompanied by Wasim Akhtar, Aminul Haque, Khwaja Izharul Hassan and others, said all major leaders of the party were present and they could be asked if there were any differences among them.

Dr Siddiqui also stated that the party is holding out an olive branch to the disgruntled leader Dr Farooq Sattar. Now Dr Sattar would decide if and when he would return to the party, the convener remarked.

Commenting on the reports of deadlock between the MQM-P and PPP over talks regarding amending the local government law, Hassan said some development had taken place during the talks on Thursday.

Hassan said the political parties were considering to have a uniform system all over Sindh from Karachi to Kashmore. He added that the Pakistan Peoples Party had acted upon some promises such as founding a university in Hyderabad, for which land had been allocated. He added that the provincial cabinet had also approved a metropolitan university for Karachi.

The MQM-P wanted a local government system envisaged in the Article 140-A of the Constitution and ordered by the Supreme Court, Hassan said, adding that the apex court orders had unfortunately not been implemented yet.

The MPA said the MQM-P was negotiating with the PPP after taking all the stakeholders on board. He added that the party would send its recommendations for the law amendment to the PPP. He expressed the hope that the PPP would consider those recommendations with sincerity.