Strange bedfellows: PPP, PML-N manoeuvre to take control of half of Karachi

The likely alliance will also install a joint chairman and deputy chairman for the District Council

KARACHI:

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) hopes to gain control over the local government setup in all six districts of Karachi received yet another setback on Tuesday after the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) started a dialogue to form local governments in three districts by electing their mayors and deputy mayors in the district municipal corporations (DMC) of Malir, South and West.

The two parties, believed to be arch-rivals, are also considering to install their joint chairman and deputy chairman for the Karachi District Council that comprises some union councils of Malir and West district.



The PPP and PML-N leaders termed their meeting at CM House on Tuesday 'positive'. The former said that they have almost formed an alliance but the latter was of the view that it was an initial meeting that may evolve into an alliance.

"Both the parties have principally agreed to form an alliance in these districts with the help of other likeminded parties, including the [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] PTI, [Jamaat-e-Islami] JI, [Awami National Party] ANP, [Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam] JUI and independent candidates," Waqar Mehdi, the information secretary of PPP Sindh chapter, told The Express Tribune.

Mehdi claimed that in three districts - Malir, South and West - they have a clear majority over the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). The meeting was attended by PPP's Senator Taj Haider, Rashid Rabbani, Mehdi and Lal Bux Bhutto and PML-N's Senator Nehal Hashmi, Ishitiaque Ahmed, Khurram Bhatti and Nisar Shah. They also decided to approach like-minded parties and groups.

Justifying the alliance, the leaders of both the parties said that they have a majority in the three districts, which was why they were making all-out efforts for coalition governments. "There are a total of 13 seats in DMC Malir where PPP and PML-N have won nine seats," said Mehdi. "We have absolute majority and will also invite others to join us." He said that in South district, both the parties and their partners have 18 seats of the total 31 against MQM, which has bagged only 10 union committee seats. According to official results, the PPP and its independent allies have bagged nine seats from the South district. Meanwhile, PML-N has five seats, PTI has two, JI has one and three have been won by independent candidates.

In District West, the MQM has secured around 22 seats out of the total 46, whereas PPP, PML-N and their allies claim to have the support of other candidates with a total of 24 seats.



Speaking to The Express Tribune, PML-N Senator Hashmi termed the meeting a 'positive' one. He added, however, that the alliance has yet to be formed between the PPP and the PML-N.

"We have discussed different issues pertaining to the upcoming local government," he said. "Other parties have also approached us. Let us see where the wind is blowing."

The leaders of both parties have discussed to make the coalition government in District Council Karachi, in which, out of the total 38 seats, PPP has won 21 and PML-N has won only three seats. In this constituency, PML-N leaders had formed an anti-PPP alliance, the 'Karachi Awami Ittehad', to contest the polls. This alliance, comprising more than 12 parties and individual groups, has won 17 seats. "If the PML-N agrees to make the [coalition] government in the three DMCs, we will also have a coalition partnership in the district council," said Mehdi, adding that with this alliance, the local bodies' system in Karachi will be equally divided between the MQM and the alliance led by the PPP. "MQM can elect the mayor of the city with three DMCs and we will run the district council and the three DMCs," said Mehdi.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2015.