PPP, MQM-P make headway in talks

Both sides agree to form joint committee to implement demands

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) assured the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Thursday of accepting its “demands” in return for support for the opposition’s no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

اسلام آباد: پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی پارلیمنٹرینز کے صدر آصف علی زرداری اور پاکستان پیپلزپارٹی کے چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری سے ملاقات کے لئے ایم کیوایم وفد کی زرداری ہاؤس آمد@AAliZardari@BBhuttoZardari pic.twitter.com/N5RZ08RMvk

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) March 24, 2022

According to Express News, a delegation of the MQM-P – an ally of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) met with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari at a luncheon hosted by the PPP leadership in Islamabad.

The MQM-P delegation comprised Convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Informational Technology Minister Aminul Haq, Aamir Khan, Wasim Akhtar and Javed Hanif, while Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Nasir Shah, Saeed Ghani, Murtaza Wahab and Rukhsana Bangash were also present.

Read Fazl, Shehbaz call on MQM-P convener

Both sides discussed “the prevailing political situation” in the country, said a statement issued by the PPP. The meeting took place in a “very pleasant” atmosphere and both the parties agreed to form a joint committee for the implementation of the MQM-P’s demands, Express News said.

“Members of both the parties will sit down and work out a roadmap for progress and action on the MQM-P's points,” the Express News said, adding that despite the headway in the talks, the MQM-P did not give any assurance to the PPP regarding support for the no-confidence motion.

In a separate statement, Aamir Khan, a senior leader of the MQM-P said that the consultation was under way in the party and no decision had been taken thus far regarding parting ways with the PTI-led coalition government.

“All decisions will be taken keeping in view the interests of Karachi and its people,” Khan said in the statement, adding that the party would announce its decision regarding the no-confidence motion before the voting in the National Assembly.

Earlier this month, both the parties agreed to form a long-term working relationship in the “wider interest of the nation” in a meeting held to discuss the political situation, arising out of the no-trust motion against the prime minister.

In a statement at that time, the PPP had said that the leadership of both the parties discussed the prevailing political situation and added that they agreed on a long-term working relationship in the wider interest of the nation. “The PPP also agreed with all the points of the MQM-P,” it said.