PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD: The fact that almost all political parties want the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) to withdraw their resolutions against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has increased the MQM and JUI-F’s bargaining power.
The two parties had filed identical motions in the National Assembly, seeking unseating of 28 PTI MPs because they had absented themselves from the house for more than 40 days.
The resolutions are pending in the National Assembly, as on Tuesday, NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had postponed voting on them for a week.
On Wednesday, heads of most parliamentary parties of the country had advised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to intervene for scrapping the motions.
The premier has also constituted a four-member committee tasked with persuading the MQM and JUI-F to withdraw their resolutions.
Three members of the negotiating body – Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid and Railways Minister Saad Rafique – met with an MQM delegation on Thursday.
A source said that during the meeting, the delegation – which included Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Kanwar Naveed and Rashid Godil – linked the MQM’s withdrawal with the party’s demands on the Karachi situation being met.
“According to the MQM’s offer, if the party’s urgent demands regarding the Karachi situation are addressed, then it might withdraw its motion.”
The party wishes to play an effective role while addressing its urban issues in Karachi, Hyderabad, etc. The MQM also seeks freedom of its workers who have been arrested during the ongoing Karachi operation.
“The party further desires to be a part of any decision-making table, either in Sindh or at the federal level,” said the source.
The MQM wants to play a role in Sindh’s apex committee and wishes for parliamentary oversight on the Karachi operation. “The party also requested the federal government to deal lightly with cases related to London.”
Neither confirming nor denying the party’s bargaining status, MQM leader Farooq Sattar told The Express Tribune that the party was in favour of the rule of law prevailing.
Sattar claimed that the Karachi operation and the PTI MPs were illegal. “We want to see the law take its course.”
He said if the Nawaz administration wanted to give relief to the Imran Khan-led party, then the government should bring a constitutional amendment in the house to give one-time relief to the PTI. “The MQM, however, will not budge from its position.”
Meanwhile, JUI-F spokesman Jan Achakzai said an MQM delegation had called on the JUI-F and both parties had decided to stand firm on their position regarding the resolutions against the PTI. He said the premier’s committee might call on the JUI-F leadership later on Thursday night.
A source said the JUI-F has also finalised its wish list, which would be shared with the negotiating body. “If the party’s demands are met, then its position on its motion would be revisited.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 31st, 2015.
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