Pakistan

Rejoining cabinet: Disagreements persist between PPP and MQM

MQM to resist if Zulfiqar Mirza is named Sindh chief minister.

Express May 16, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

Despite rejoining the federal cabinet, contentious issues still persist between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Except for the removal of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza as home minister of Sindh, other issues that led to the MQM parting ways from the PPP are yet to be resolved, MQM sources said.

Contrary to some reports that the two parties have agreed on some formula for the local government, Wasay Jalil from the MQM said nothing has been finalised as yet.

“We have yet to address the preliminary question of the local government system… Our position is clear that we want to restore the system not only for Sindh and Karachi, but throughout the country,” he said, when asked about the reported agreement between the two sides.

It is also said that the parties reached an agreement on the MQM ruling the city government in Karachi, while both the PPP and MQM will equally share the local government in Hyderabad. The Nazim system was abolished in 2009 after the local government ordinance promulgated by former President General Pervez Musharraf lapsed.

People within the PPP say the party is contemplating giving an important assignment to Mirza again. He is even tipped by some people within the PPP as the next chief minister of Sindh to replace ailing Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah. MQM leaders confirmed that they are aware of the reports circulating in some circles and claimed that their party has conveyed to the PPP leadership that any such move will be strongly resisted.

MQM also has reservations over proposed delimitation of constituencies the government is supposed to make after completing the national census. It fears the constituencies can be altered to affect MQM’s vote bank.

Three ministers from the MQM, two federal and one state minister, took oath last week. A formal notification in this regard is expected today (Monday).

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2011.