PTI criticises MQM-P’s threat to quit coalition

MQM has failed to deliver time and again except for their personal benefits: local leaders

HYDERABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Hyderabad chapter's leaders have expressed regret over Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's (MQM-P) warning of quitting the PTI-led coalition government in the centre. At a press conference in Hyderabad on Saturday, Dr Mustansar Billah, Faisal Mughal and other local leaders blamed the MQM-P for failing to serve the people of Karachi despite coming to power time and again.

The MQM-P's convener and other party leaders, at their public meeting in Hyderabad on Friday, had reminded the PTI that their party joined the government conditionally after signing an agreement between the two parties. They asked Prime Minister Imran Khan, while boasting that his government has a marginal majority in the national assembly due to MQM-P's seven seats, to fulfil the promises made to their party. The MQM-P's Deputy Convener Kunwar Navid Jamil warned that they will split up from the coalition if the agreement was not honoured soon.



"MQM remained a partner of Pakistan Peoples Party's governments. It didn't deliver for the Urdu speaking community except for getting personal benefits for certain important persons in their party," alleged Billah. He said the MQM-P's mayors in Karachi and Hyderabad have failed to provide water and a clean environment to the people.

"[Prime Minister] Imran Khan gave federal ministries to this party with only six [elected] seats [in the NA] but they [MQM-P] can't stop weeping."  He challenged that the PTI will deliver unlike MQM-P if the people of the two cities elected them in the next local government elections.



Billah accused MQM-P of demolishing thousands of houses and shops in Karachi to punish the people who felt liberated from the fear of that party and voted PTI in 2018 general elections. He also alleged that the local government funds of Hyderabad Municipal Corporation were used to finance MQM-P's public meeting in Hyderabad.

The rift appears ahead of the prime minister's expected visit to Hyderabad during which he will lay foundation for establishment of a public sector university.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2019.