Ready to embrace: PPP keeps door open for MQM

Muttahida says it wasn’t contacted by PML-N to join its govt.

KARACHI:

On and off allies, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have yet to decide how to proceed with their relations during the new government’s tenure. The former has reportedly left some ministries open in the hopes that the latter will eventually leave the opposition and join them.

“President Asif Ali Zardari, during a meeting with the Sindh chief minister and other cabinet members at Bilawal House on Saturday, has once again asked to wait for the MQM and instructed not to induct more people in the cabinet,” a cabinet member told The Express Tribune. “Certain portfolios have been left open till the final decision is taken by the MQM. Senior members of the party are still negotiating with the MQM to bring it back on board.”



Reports also suggest that MQM’s decision to sit on the opposition benches in Sindh is a joint strategy of the former coalition partners, cornering the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Functional in capturing the slot of the opposition leader and leaving MQM as the friendly opposition in the assembly. However, reports that the PML-N has approached MQM to join the federal government have also surfaced, adding an element of uncertainty for the PPP.

Tiger chases kite?

“PML-N needs MQM’s support in the Senate and in Sindh. With that purpose, our party leadership is considering giving the MQM a share in the federal government and supporting their governor in Sindh,” said a PML-N leader, adding that the Sharif brothers had indirectly offered MQM a proposition to join them which the latter was considering.

Nasir Jamal, deputy convener of the Rabita committee of MQM, however, termed the reports as “pure speculation”. “No PML-N leader has contacted us and neither is MQM willing to join their government,” he said, adding that his party would play a strong opposition in the National Assembly and Senate.



When asked about the possibility of joining Sindh’s government, Jamal said that the party had contested the election for speaker, deputy speaker and leader of the House in Sindh Assembly which conveyed the clear message that MQM was now in the opposition and not part of the government as quoted earlier. “We nominated our opposition leader in the House and will continue our role as the opposition in Sindh.” As for the negotiations initiated by the PPP leaders and their attempt to win back MQM, Jamal did not give any inclination of as to when the party might lean. “I cannot comment on the negotiations but at this moment, our stand is very much clear - we have decided to sit on the opposition benches.”

Hit or miss for the arrow?

PPP’s senior leader and former federal minister, Khurshid Shah, admitted to The Express Tribune that covert negotiations with MQM were in the works.

“Muttahida was our main partner during our last five-year tenure and we do not want to lose their support,” said Shah, dispelling the impression that a plan had been devised between the two parties for a friendly opposition. “As soon as PPP’s mandate became apparent in Sindh, we invited MQM to join the government. But there have been some misunderstandings which have led our former allies to sit on the opposition benches. We hope that they will eventually join us in Sindh,” said Shah, explaining that not only MQM but other parties would also be approached to join the party. “PPP, after getting simple majority, has formed government in Sindh but we want to continue our reconciliation policy of taking MQM and other parties on board for the betterment of Sindh.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2013.