KARACHI: On Friday, when the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convenor Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui threatened to leave the ruling coalition over the local body elections in Karachi. Moreover, the senior-most leadership of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) contacted him.
A meeting of the MQM Coordination Committee was called and the majority of the party’s members advised leaving the government if the local body elections were not delayed. The sources also stated that the party’s federal ministers gave their resignations to Siddiqui.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected the Sindh government’s appeal to delay the local body’s elections. That are scheduled to take place on Sunday (tomorrow).
Siddiqui was guaranteed “positive progress” on his demands by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif shortly after the MQM-P indicated it was thinking about leaving the coalition. Moreover, Asif Zardari, the co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), spoke with Siddiqui.
The political figures promised Siddiqui progress on the MQM demands, as per the sources. According to a source, PM also promised to resolve the party’s issue till night and assured Siddiqui of “good news”.
After the MQM-P threatened to leave the government coalition, negotiations continued well into the night. Late at night, when the senior MQM-P leaders arrived at the Governor House, the Sindh administration was simultaneously holding a crucial meeting at Chief Minister House.
Ayaz Sadiq, a senior member of PML-N reportedly spoke with Siddiqui and assured him resolution.
Asif Zardari was contacted, according to Siddiqui, and he acknowledged being aware of the MQM challenges. Zardari has maintained his word, but “now we have to see how he will fulfill his pledge with us,” added Siddiqui.
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