MQM-P ‘agrees’ to back JUI-F on no-trust motion

JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman calls on headquarters of PTI’s ally in Karachi

KARACHI:

MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Tuesday said the party “greatly valued” the opinion of the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and would decide its stance on the no-confidence motion against the government taking heed of its advice.

He was directly addressing JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the president of the PDM, who called on the MQM-P – a key ally of the ruling party in Sindh – at its temporary headquarters in Karachi’s Bahadurabad, while speaking jointly with reporters after their meeting.

Siddiqui regretted that the activists of the MQM-P were still missing and the offices of any political party in the country were not closed except for those of his party.

“We had hoped from the PTI government that at least it would give us a reason to remain in the government but we found out that in many cases the prime minister doesn’t have the authority,” he lamented, adding that the MQM-P was not interested in such a democracy.

Siddiqui claimed that the situation for the MQM-P and other parties had not been alike.

"You [opposition] don't have to face the circumstances that we are facing.”

The MQM-P leader complained that his party had been left with no political space in the past few years to become a part of the national leadership.

“Therefore, we have to take every step very carefully.”

Siddiqui said now that the JUI-F chief had come to meet with the MQM-P, the party hoped that it would benefit from his experience.

“We will support each other to get the country out of this mess.”

Also read: No-confidence vote: Opp hopes for apex court’s impartiality

Speaking on the occasion earlier, the JUI-F chief maintained that the no-trust move was surely to succeed as the ruling PTI’s allies were no longer supporting it.

“[Prime Minister] Imran Khan and his party members make inappropriate speeches,” he added.

He claimed that PM Imran has become isolated and he was leaving the MQM-P office satisfied as the opposition and the government’s ally were on the same page on the current situation.

The JUI-F chief said his party and the MQM-P had been holding talks following the united opposition’s filing of a no-confidence motion requisition in the National Assembly on March 9.

He added that it could take the MQM-P two to three more days to make a “formal announcement” (about parting ways with the ruling coalition).

Fazl claimed that the opposition was in contact with all allies of the ruling PTI. “It will take some more time, around a day, for them to announce that they are joining us.”

On the ongoing session of the Organisation of Islamic Council (OIC) in Islamabad, Fazl said the opposition parties welcomed the foreign dignitaries.

“Respecting them is obligatory upon us, but we don't consider them the guests of the prime minister but of the entire country.”

He added that that was why the opposition had asked its activists and supporters to enter Islamabad on March 25.

The JUI-F chief maintained that after the submission of a requisition for the no-trust motion, the prime minister had lost his position as an "elected representative".

"He [PM Imran] is now trying to counter the entire nation, the long march and the no-confidence motion on the pretext of [inviting] foreign guests [for the OIC session].”