Pakistan

Government to meet only rational MQM demands

Tuesday’s attack on MQM lawmaker Rashid Godil was also discussed in the Nawaz-Fazl meeting

Abdul Manan August 19, 2015

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman talk during their meeting on Wednesday. PHOTO: INP

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has acquiesced to meet ‘only logical demands’ of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – that too after conferring with all stakeholders in Karachi, The Express Tribune has learnt. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of his eponymous faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, who met MQM leaders at the party’s headquarters Nine Zero on Tuesday, briefed the premier about the party’s demands in a meeting on Wednesday.

Sources said both Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazl agreed to commit to the MQM what is acceptable to all stakeholders. They also agreed that before making any commitment to the MQM on its reservations over the Karachi operation, the government would consult all stakeholders, including the law enforcement and intelligence agencies and the provincial government.

While sharing MQM’s key demands, sources said the party was asking the federal government for allowing its genuine workers, like sector and unit in-charges, to collect hides of sacrificial animals. Sources said the MQM was also perturbed over the Rangers action against collection of Firtrana during Eidul Fitr. Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazl concurred that the stakeholders would not agree to this demand.

The MQM is also seeking representation on any decision-making meeting, like the Sindh Apex Committee on implementation of the National Action Plan against terrorism. The stakeholders, sources said, have already rejected this demand. Another MQM demand for constitution of a parliamentary oversight body for the Karachi operation is also apparently unacceptable to the stakeholders who believe the party would use it to try and undermine the capacities of the law enforcement agencies.

According to sources, Maulana Fazl informed the prime minister that any oversight body of politicians could convince the MQM to withdraw resignations and return to the assemblies. To this, the prime minister said the makeup of the proposed monitoring body and its terms of reference (ToRs) would be discussed with the stakeholders.

The MQM’s demand for a judicial commission to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killing of its workers has been rejected outright by the stakeholders. And sources said Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazl also agreed not to commit any such thing to the MQM. Similarly, the party’s demand for release of its detained workers is also not acceptable to the stakeholders, sources added.

The MQM is also demanding appointment of certain government officials in the urban areas of Sindh, sources said. However, Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazal agreed that instead the prime minister would ask the Sindh administration to listen to the MQM on routine civic issues like drainage, drinking water, etc.

Tuesday’s attack on MQM lawmaker Rashid Godil was also discussed in the Nawaz-Fazl meeting. Subsequently, the prime minister telephoned Godil’s son to inquire after the health of his father who, medics say, is recuperating but still critical.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (9)

Imran Qadri | 8 years ago | Reply Only direct and indirect beneficiary of Mafia rule in karachi are creating rumpus otherwise majority of Karachiites are very very happy and satisfied with outcome and heading of operation against terrorists by rangers. Anyone neutral can clearly see that crime rate is down in Karachi and people celebrated Pakistan’s independence day without any fear and people were out on the streets of Karachi with their families in record numbers unlike previous years when Karachi was plagued with political violence, target killing and terrorism. It shows that operation is headed in right direction.

Hasan Jamil | 8 years ago | Reply Sham Democracy .Democratically elected reps of Karachi who represent the sentiments of millions have to succumb to a ethno military establishment .Democracy , my foot .

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Napier Mole | 8 years ago | Reply Prima facie the government and the other 'stakeholders' are pushing mqm underground. When the history of this operation is written, it will be rued that haughtiness and arrogance by those holding power could have been avoided. Karachi is obviously in for a long spell of instability if this report is true.

Mujtaba | 8 years ago | Reply Monitoring Committee = Not acceptable Judicial Commission over EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS = Not acceptable. Who seems to be at fault here from such non-acceptables? Isn't human life of value? Why can't there be a Monitoring Committee such as any Audit Committee for a new project? Something is amiss here and by great proportions.

IBN E ASHFAQUE | 8 years ago | Reply Why constitution of a parliamentary oversight body for the Karachi operation is also apparently unacceptable to the stakeholders as the agencies know that they are doing things that go beyond the law. It is this illegal behavior of the Law enforcement agencies that creates the social conditions where illegal behavior is considered just. I also do not condone the illegal behavior of MQM. The focus of the government should be to establish law and order. Look when there was mayhem in London a couple of years ago on racial basis. They did not bring in the British army or humiliated and arrested all the Asians, which is typical in Pakistan. They arrested all the accused and brought in magistrates and collected evidence to nail the accused which was accepted by even the near and dear ones of the accused. They focused on establishing law and order. We in Karachi should focus on law and order for political parties, individuals and law enforcement agencies, that is the only sustainable solution to the problem. May Allah guide us all.

Imran Qadri | 8 years ago | Reply MQM self exiled leader in UK is desperate as he has limited access to his bulging bank accounts as most of them are blocked coz money laundering investigation is underway and black money proceeds from from extortion, racketeering, land grabbing forced collections in the name of zakat, fitra etc is all time low thanks to successful operation against terrorists. He desperately wants some breathing space and wishes that his lads be allowed to collect animal hides worth Billions(which they forcefully collect through threat & intimidation), if that is allowed then all the hard work done by Rangers in operation will go down the drain and it would be really unfortunate.

Salman | 8 years ago | Reply I tell you what . Stakeholders=Military , is never going to succumb to those stupid demands which are root cause of whole dilemma of Karachi's situation. So Going further none of the demand will be met in any case. What next? MQM will have no option but to come back.. Save the nation's time and skip these episodes.

Sajid Rabbani | 8 years ago | Reply MQM. How clever you think you are. And how stupid you think others are.!

Lord | 8 years ago | Reply Now the only way back for mqm is to receive monetary benefit from govt and come back to parliament as all there demands are not acceptable to "Stakeholders" :).

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