PML-Q Sindh backs party’s decision to form alliance with PPP

165 members pass resolution in favour of the move.

KARACHI:

One-hundred and sixty-five Sindh members of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q got together on Tuesday to back their party’s decision to form an alliance with the government.

In a meeting chaired by the party’s Sindh chief, Ghous Bux Mahar, the party members discussed the pros and cons of an alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party government for five hours. Two resolutions were adopted.

In the first one, the party members expressed full confidence in Mahar’s leadership and in the second one they condemned the statement made by the Punjab chief minister over new provinces.

Sources privy to the meeting said that some of the party members had opposed an alliance.

They argued that the PPP government had failed to tackle people’s problems. “There has been no development, the socio-economic indicators have gone downhill and inflation is on the rise.” But most of the members supported the idea.

Talking to The Express Tribune, PML-Q secretary Haleem Adil Shaikh said some leaders did not trust the PPP government.

“If we need to reconcile, the government must first stop victimising our leaders,” he said, quoting other members. After the meeting, Ghaus Bux Mahar told the media that the Sindh chapter did not object to the alliance. “We have given all our powers to the central leadership. We will accept whatever they decide.”

MPAs Nuzhat Pathan and Chettan Mal Arwani, who belong to PML-Q (Likeminded group) were also present at the meeting. Their participation sparked rumours of them leaving the Likeminded group and joining the PML-Q faction led by Chaudhry Shujaat and Parvaiz Elahi.

However, Pathan said, “We are members of the PML-Q and have come to attend the meeting just to dispel the impression that there are differences between the factions, said Pathan. “I am the PML-Q’s information secretary and I have not left the Likeminded group led by former chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim,” she said. Efforts are being made to unite the two groups, she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2011.