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Written promises mark PPP-MQM rapprochement
Includes formation of a committee to monitor law and order situation.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik addresses the media at the Governor House, Karachi. PHOTO: APP
KARACHI:
The Pakistan Peoples Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement finally patched up their differences on Tuesday night, as the two parties drafted a detailed understanding seeking to tackle the law and order situation in Karachi.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik also announced a crackdown on the Peoples Amn Committee along with other criminal elements functioning in the city. Malik, flanked by leaders of both parties, told a press conference at the Governor House after midnight that the government had decided to ban the PAC and would seal its offices, as well as the offices of organisations that support Baloch insurgent groups and “all other criminal gangs”, in Karachi.
Malik said the president had set up a committee under Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to monitor the law and order situation. The committee is to meet once a week to come up with suggestions on how to curb extortion, kidnapping and other serious crimes, and then submit its advice to the chief minister within two weeks. The chief minister would then initiate action.
He added that the two parties had also resolved not to make any negative statements about each other in the press.
Dr Farooq Sattar, deputy convener of the MQM coordination committee, said the party was calling off its boycott of the Sindh Assembly and ties with the PPP were restored.
The reconciliation came after an exhaustive series of contacts between the two sides that began shortly after Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza set off their latest tiff on March 6 with his declaration that the PAC, which is accused of extortion, kidnapping and murder in Karachi, was an affiliate of the PPP.
The MQM reacted angrily and threatened to withdraw from the provincial government coalition. The party’s anger at Mirza’s comments was finally soothed last night, the announcement of a reconciliation coming after various high-level meetings, the last between President Asif Ali Zardari and an MQM delegation at Bilawal House on Tuesday.
The MQM delegation was led by Dr Sattar and included Babar Khan Ghauri, Raza Haroon, Dr Sagheer Ahmed Siddiqui, Syed Sardar Ahmed, Waseem Aftab and Adil Siddiqui. Rehman Malik, Qaim Ali Shah, Aga Siraj Durrani and presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar assisted the president in the talks.
They decided at the meeting to announce their patch-up at Governor’s House. Malik said that it was important in this time, while the country was at war with terrorists, that its political leaders acted wisely and resolved issues through dialogue. He said this was what the two parties had done. He said that the president and the MQM chief resolved not to allow democracy to be derailed.
Governor Ishratul Ibad said that dialogue was the only way to resolve disputes between coalition partners.
Chief Minister Shah that the restoration of the PPP-MQM relationship would benefit all Pakistanis and the people of Sindh, but especially Karachi. He said the government would take action against criminals irrespective of their political affiliations and the newly constituted committee would consult with the Sindh governor and the MQM.
Dr Sattar said that the reconciliation would promote peace and make democracy stronger in Pakistan. He said the public, but especially traders and businessmen, would welcome action against the PAC.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 16th, 2011.
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Well if govt is serious in banning “all other criminal gangs” in karachi then it should start with banning MQM, PPP and ANP because these gangs have destroyed such a beautiful city.Recommend
MQM has mastered the art of political blackmail.I wonder how much was paid to “dear leader” Altaf , to resolve the current crisis.It is sad that political govts are reluctant to devolve power to dists whereas the military accepted that power must evolve from the bottom up. The demand of elected city govt is genuine and possibly Karachi had the best performing elected system which must be restored through elections.Recommend
It is very easy and simple to improve the law and order situation in Karachi and in the rest of the country for that matter. Eliminate corruption immediately, focus and improve our economy and that will create new job and hope for tomorrow. People don’t have drinking water or electricity and thanks for the failed policies average person is having hard time feeding their families anymore. Do you honestly believe that average person really cares if PPP and MQM can get along or not? Do us all a huge favor and get out from Pakistan and don’t ever come back, whole country is tired of thugs like you.Recommend
he said this, she said that, blah blah blah……. this is all crap- underlying meanings are simple- I don’t rock your boat, you don’t rock mine, oh by the way who cares about ordinary people, bulldoze them in the process as its just the collateral “in the best interest of democracy & country which is at war with ITSELF”.
I am sure ordinary PPP & MQM supporters would now be repenting the day they supported these hooligans to assemblies.Recommend
This is a good decision to save the democartic process of Pakistan.Recommend
What a joke – where was the provincial Che if Minister who owned the Aman committee? How much did MQM get in the brief case this time? The funniest part was that Rehman Malik said that we have decided now to end the street crimes, extortion and target killing and both the parties have agreed to it – LMFAORecommend
What a joke – where was the provincial Cheif Minister who owned the Aman committee? How much did MQM get in the brief case this time? The funniest part was that Rehman Malik said that we have decided now to end the street crimes, extortion and target killing and both the parties have agreed to it – LMFAORecommend
Mr Mateen…Well they have killed thousands innocent people just to save democratic govt….i think we should know its not democratic govt its to save themseleves….All is the game of money and life of people innocent people…..money mattters to them however life never….they are not even human beings sometime…i think…In jungle where there is no law…every animal sticks ot its own food…cow will never start eating zebra….but we are even worst we need money by killing people or putting them in trouble of taxes…Recommend
Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.All parties’ biggest & top priority is to complete 5-year tenure of PPP govt even by fighting like cats & dogs with each others before the nation.Doesn’t matter what happens with the nation.Now the nation shall have to stand against these culprits if the nation wants to get rid of these corrupt and beggars leaders.Other wise don’t complain because this is every Pakistani leader’s favorite hobby to make Pakistani nation’s life more and more difficult,problematic and miserable on large scale so that the leaders could collect more and more $$$$$ in their foreign banks’ accounts.Political parties never want to derail and destabilize corrupt democratic system supported by Pakistan army in Pakistan.Recommend
See what I said in my previous comment that MQM will come back to the fold of so called coalition. MQM without power is just like a fish without water. MQM leaders are not angels as they portray. They have been corrupted by the power. Their politics is based on the principle of terrorising the opponents and the media.
The media particularly TV channels are so frightened that they must and must give full coverage to telephone address of Altaf Hussain to his disciples. The TV cameras are focused well before the thunderous voice of Altaf Hussain roars. The TV channels disregards any other event of national important and must show Altaf’s histrionic speeches. The media is responsible for giving undue importance to this organisation.
For how long the latest agreement will last is not difficult to guess. Wait for a day when their terrorists are apprehended or a statement from Zulfiqar Mirza comes, you will see members of Rabita committee will spring up with the lists of their demands.
This has become a joke. Why is Asif Zardari so scared of these blackmailers. Whenever he lands in Karachi he devotes his time to only to the MQM as if there are no problems elsewhere in the province.
The question is for how long will this drama will continue. For how long MQM’s tantrums will be tolerated by Asif Zardari. Why rule of law is not applied to MQM? Why should they be immune from prosecution for their thuggish activities.
As far as Mr Rehman Malik is concerned, he is a great hurdle to peace in Karachi. His energies are wasted in shuttling between Karachi and London in placating self styled supremo of MQM Altaf Hussain. It is a bad luck for Sindh that there are people like Rehman Malik who is holding very important portfolio of Interior Ministry and Ishratul Ibaad who is sitting in the governor’s house for nearly a decade.
Well wait for few weeks, here comes the members of the Rabita Committee holding papers of charge sheet against the PPP…..Recommend
Allah Pak Karachi walon ko Aman Nasib kerai.
Ameen.Recommend
Good , the CIRCUS is over for the time but soon the Interior Minister will come out with some new statement and the circus will start again.Recommend
Hmmm, bunny, Independent from UK……….It seems you are anti MQM people who just want to balme MQM for whatever bad happens in Karachi. People like you create confusions in the mind on common peoples of Pakistan. Every child know about the criminal groups working in Karachi under different political patronage…its the MQM who regularly check its hierarchy and weed out elements having any sort of criminal background. Name any other party who ever done thing like that….ANP, Lyari Aman Committee, Tehreek e Insaaf etc all support these anti MQM-Criminal Elements in order to gain power in Karachi. You may not aware of the dynamics of Lyari but the whole area is filled with criminal gangs and Police don’t have dare to enter that area. Now this phenomenon was spreading under the patronage of PPP (Zulfiqar Mirza)…again to get hold of Karachi….Bhatta Parchis were distributed in every known commercial district of Karachi with names of Amn Committee, ANP, JSQM etc.
Secondly, MQM’s politics revolve around the common people… and the party is spreading its wing in the different parts of the country…..this is not suitable to our establishment and they want to limit MQM to its base (Karachi)….and MQM is also aware of this. PPP is a better choice against the Sharifs…..political pundits predict a split mandate in the coming elections and its better to keep the same coalition with few seat adjustments across Pakistan.Recommend
This is democracy’s revenge on all of us. I don’t want this pseudo democracy anymore. I want an honest army man (difficult to find) to take over, make his first announcement that he is going to rule for 20 years without assemblies, establish martial law courts and trbunals, and get rid of all civilain courts. Rule the country like the British through the bureaucracy. Federal and Provincial Secretaries should be the cabinets and we should just get on with life.
I am sick of all the politicians and the judiciary; they have not passed a single legislation that serves the comman man and the judiciary has not sentenced one crook since the fall of Dacca. Rest of the nation’s departments and emplyees can …. off.Recommend
Topi Drama!! Democracy’s revenge on all of us.Recommend
@Independent from UK:
@Inqilabi:
Let me also add that MQM has done a lot for people in its constituencies. The face of Karachi has changed completely with flyovers, bridges, underpasses, new metaled roads etc. Sewage systems upgraded and water supply improved to a great extent. I for one had a very pleasant experience without knowing a single person in MQM. They acted on my serious complaint on one telephone call only!!!
I’m sure it is well known that MQM Mayor was listed as one of the top three mayors in the world.
I request some folks not to be so biased.Recommend