Two separate meetings were held at Bilawal House on Thursday. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
After entering a final round of negotiations, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) are expected to join Sindh government soon, according to latest reports.
Two separate meetings were held at Bilawal House on Thursday with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and former interior minister Rehman Malik briefing President Zardari about their negotiation with the MQM leadership. Earlier, in the day, the chief minister went to Governor House where he held a detailed meeting with Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan on this issue.
Sources familiar with the development told The Express Tribune that MQM, which had earlier decided to sit on the opposition benches in the Sindh Assembly would join the provincial government soon.
“The MQM is demanding five ministries, but PPP is willing to induct their three members into the provincial cabinet. More or less, Muttahida will get its old portfolios,” a senior leader of PPP said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 14th, 2013.
COMMENTS (50)
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Bhatta alone is not enough to meet the greed. Public exchequer is also needed to loot
Readers/ Bloggers, MQM has no where else to go.They are trying their very best to keep their Governor for which they unanimously supported PML-N and congratulated Nawaz. Sadly for them there are limited chances to get any ministries in the Fedral setup. People of Karachi must wake up before it is too late. What did you get since MQM came into power? A few developmental projects are nothing.....any government would have done it. The most important luxury for Karachi is 'peace, safety, law and order' a government in power should be able to provide that. Blaming Taliban all the time will not get us anywhere. Karachi was fine before 1987.
Questions for Karachites to explore;
Who is behind Bhattas, Bodies in bags, torture cells, snatching of hides during Eid, damage to properties, forced strikes and associated activities such as lightening of buses vandalism of shops, firing by unknown riders, targeted killings, introduction of cheating in academic institutions of Karachi, threatening of teachers, discriminatory slogans and introduction of wall chalking full of ethnic hatred etc.
All this wasn't there !!!!!!! before 1987 and has this been reduced.
@Mujtaba Zaisi: "MQMers are famous for their capabilitites in opposition" When were they in opposition, ever?
@MGA: Lol what are you talking about? how can MQM win any seats in Karachi when Karachi never even had elections?
All those defending MQM, saying it was offered government the very next day but refused because of workers getting killed... get your heads out of the sand. We all know why MQM hasn't joined the government yet. It's all about bargaining over desired ministeries. MQM is, like always, using cruel tactics like bringing the city to a halt by force and blackmailing the government to meet their demands of lucrative ministeries. They will join PPP the day it agrees to these demands. MQM doesn't practice politics of principles, but only of power. Those who think otherwise are just living in fool's paradise. For my dear Karachiites, the next five years will be business as usual like the past five. Brace yourselves.
Whoah.. I would not want MQM to join the govt. They are suvh a strong opposition and MQMers are famous for their capabilitites in opposition. Now I know that PPP is pressurizing MQM from many different tactics, but I know that if MQM joined the govt, PPP would not let it do anything and in return its voters will be further disappointed. Stick to the Opposition MQM for the betterment of Sindh and for the betterment of your people.
Aysha! All these commentators are lampooning the Great Quaid. PTI is winning. The Party needs you to defend the sinking ship. We need some sort of excuse to cover our lust for power. Sorry, I mean our duty to serve the people of Karachi by joing the government.
Some folks talked about MQM's quest for power. What did you expect? That they got 18/22 seats in Karachi and they are going to play helpless? It is power which will give them the resources to deliver and when they had power 2002-2007, Karachi was far better. You can chose to be ignorant but the reality is Karachi was prosperous and peaceful when MQM was given chance to lead it's mandate.
I am not a voter of MQM but it is reality that Government without MQM in Sindh will not be justify the mandate of people of Sindh province. MQM should get its share of mandate in Sindh Government. Secondly, now it is time for both the parties to work for their people's better life. No one comes from outside of Pakistan build the country.
@Ashar | MQM is being pressurized by kidnapping, torturing and killing of its workers. But I wish MQM shouldn't join them rather fight back! MQM is pure !
They will join the opposition 10 days before the expiry of the term of this parliament up to the next general elections 2018, to appoint a caretaker setup of their choice.
Come on Aysha, we need you now!
Everybody is blaiming MQM, but most of them do not know the real facts and games being played in Karachi. Remember MQM is the 90% representative of urban sindh. Presently the Sindh Govt consists only of the representatives of rural sindh, so why the tax payers of cities of Sindh should not have their due share the Sindh Govt. The have already been deprived of their local govt. rights. Please be balanced in your thoughts and be true pakistanis instead of true punjabi, sindhi, pakhtoon and baluchi.
Aysha where are you, please join the discussion.
EVERYTHING. COMING FROM PPP...Mqm haven't given any signal that they r joining govt.
If MQM joins Government it would be a suicidal decision. In last tenure of PPP led Government MQM has got nothing so it's better for them to keep distance from PPP.
@Ammad Hafeez:
That is why they are going to join, birds of the same feather always flock together.
MQM should not join Sindh government. PPP is nothing but a betrayers.
To all those who think mourning days as a blackmailing tactic, just go and once meet the families of deceased and you will know the truth. MQM was given offer of joining the government very next day after the set-up of government. They, themselves, turned down the offer, If MQM was so power hungry it would have joined the government therewith. No one sees beyond the blaming part. After the decision of MQM sitting in opposition, hundreds of MQM's activists are being killed, kidnapped or arrested without any proof by LEA's. MQM are not the blackmailer, they are being blackmailed. Anyways MQM should not join, at-least, Sindh government until/unless local body elections are conducted.
@MGA: As if they care about their voters!
U turn specialists...
"Rehman Malik briefing President Zardari about their negotiation with the MQM leadership" This Rehman Mailk will sink the boat of PPP for sure.
It is true that MQM can not live or stay in ICU for a long period. There was a dire need from Dr. PPP and Surgeon PML-N to attend and remove their sufferings. I hope now some gentlemen formula will be adopted to stop this nonsense strikes.
There are certain words that depict MQM behaviour... Alas they will be censored!!
please never join them until local gov election date announced uder article "140" and when join them do the politics like JI done it in kpk with pti
Finally, MQM 'mourning-day / strike ' tactic worked out!! :)
CJP, can you hear me? Please take another Suo Muto notice against continuous switching of Alliances? :)
Ha Ha Ha, MQM can go to any extent to get in to power corridors. Todays strike is one small evidence otherwise why didn't they observe strikes when scores were killed during their Govt in Sindh
@MGA: They loss all of their seats even this time out. We all know how they snatched Karachi.
ET can you give an update on the strikes progress?? Is it full, or 1/2, or 1/4 successful??
Welcome PTI to Karachi, farewell to MQM. New Rabita Committee is nothing but old wine in new bottles.
As expected. MQM always want to be in power and will do "anything" to attain it.
Nothing new.
For anyone from MQM team reading this ET article, please don't prove yourself to be the most dumb party by joining the Sind Government. It will be a big loss for you guys in long term. A well wisher.
All the parties, including MQM that sided with PPP for the past 5 years have suffered badly. This time is MQM sides with them again it will their swan song.
It is nothing more than a 'rotten egg' agreement. Muttaheda is going the way of all political parties in Pakistan..........DEPENDENCY. Sitting in the opposition gave it dynamism and independence. Salams
If MQM join Sind Govt, then they will be making their biggest mistakes and in the next election, they will loose all their seats from Karachi. DONT JOIN SIND GOVT. a voter
What a joke ! MQM would do anything to cling to power.
hahahahaha...
Lolz... :D
It was always on due to the best "interests of the country". MQM never fails to disappoint me. :)
hahahahha :D
Folks,Hit Recommend if you are not Surprised...MQM is Addicted to power which is the reason they cant stay out...Apparently MQM is against the feudal style of Politics but for the past so many years,the same feudals find the most loyal allies in the shape of MQM,beat these double standards,if you can!
As usual MQM dying to be in government, without which they cannot survive and this weekly mourning i.e. disruption/loss to average Karachite is basically a blackmailing tactic by an anarchist/fascist group.
I wrote in one of my previous comments that MQM is a Sea/Saw party.
MQM decided on its own to sit on the opposition benches, then started calling strikes.
I think if I am not mistaken, it is 3rd strike called after the elections area held in the country.
Once MQM will join the Government, there will be no more calls given for the strikes by MQM.
If people will not understand MQM now after 35 years of MQM's politics, then when people will understand the politics of MQM?
We all know that...............
Its not even a news- everyone knows MQM's lust of power has brought Karachi to this situation so it goes without saying that they would be part of govt by hook or by crook
MQM can't live without power because it is their bread and butter. This period (about 15 days) is very long for MQM as opposition.
MQM will join Sing govt and hopefully STRIKES will end..... MQM is like a baby who cries and fires untill their DEMANDS are met..