PPP discloses benefits MQM-P derived from federation

MQM-P chief meets JI Karachi chief to discuss LG polls

KARACHI:

After the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) threatened to separate from the coalition government, the Pakistan People's Party has shared the details of the benefits the party has received from the federal government.

According to sources, PPP has complained about the behaviour of MQM-P to the federation and allies.

It revealed that MQM-P's schemes were included in the provincial budget and Aminul Haq and Faisal Sabzwari were made federal ministers.

The governor of Sindh was installed at the behest of MQM-P and Murtaza Wahab's resignation was taken at the behest of the party.

PPP also told them that MQM-P's administrators were appointed in three districts and the provincial government played a role in the return of its workers.

Officers were appointed in Karachi and Hyderabad on the recommendation of MQM-P.

On the recommendation of the PPP, six MQM-P members were given important posts in the federation i.e. its Members National Assembly Abubakar and Kishore Zehra are the chairman of standing committees while Usama Qadri and Sabir Qaim Khani are parliamentary secretaries.

On the recommendation of MQM-P, Sadiq Iftikhar was made special assistant to the prime minister.

MPA Javed Hanif made his brother a member of the Public Service Commission, PPP disclosed, adding that Arif Hanif and Abdul Malik Ghori were made members on the recommendation of MQM-P.

Furthermore, after the merger, relatives of MQM-P leaders remained on important postings in the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

LG polls

Meanwhile, a delegation of MQM-P led by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui met with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman to discuss local body elections in Karachi.

During the meeting, the situation in Karachi and local elections were discussed between the two parties.

On this occasion, MQM-P also invited JI to participate in the protest rally on January 9.

Siddiqui, while talking to the media after a detailed discussion on local body elections in Karachi, said that he is grateful to the leadership of JI for giving them the opportunity to meet.

He said that both parties believe in the strength of basic democracy.  He said that on the orders of the Election Commission of Pakiatan (ECP) and the courts, the municipal elections were held earlier and will continue to be held.

He alleged that pre-poll rigging is going on in Karachi Hyderabad. He added that  onstituencies were formed in the voting areas of JI and MQM-P with a population of 40,000, and he remainder of the rigging will be in the elections.

The MQM-P leader said that whether there are any other elections, municipal elections should be held and it is necessary to be transparent.

He said they decided to protest by using the legal and constitutional right to smooth the public opinion.  JI is also affected in these situations, he added.
He further said that they all agree on many points but perhaps their priorities are different.

The JI Karachi chief told the media that MQM-P was their ally till 2015 and the elections were held by approaching the court after fighting.

Naeem said that it is a tragedy that if you fix one thing, the other gets damaged.  Roads are blocked for democratic parties, he remarked.

"What we want most is that there should be elections in the country and in the parties.  Municipal elections are held during dictatorships but major parties do not want local elections," he added.

He also said that the voter list is never correct, and while he fought to fix it, and went to court, the elections continued.

Even in the census, Karachi was always abused, he added.

He further said that elections were held based on unauthorised census.

"MQM is included in PDM, the governor also belongs to them," Naeem said, adding that authorisation is necessary and they have reservations on delimitation.

The JI Karachi chief said that they staged a 29-day dharna.  Karachi wants its mayor, chairman, vice-chairman and councilor despite delimitation or voter list sign, he added.

"These are not ordinary local elections.  All eyes of Pakistan are on these elections.  Postponing local elections is not correct in any case. They should not be postponed. There is a smell of conspiracy to push forward two, four or six years more," he further said.

Naeem said that they would protest outside the Chief Minister House to push for local body elections on time.

In response to a question, Siddiqui said that negotiations are going on with the PPP.

To a question regarding the meeting with Farooq Sattar and Afaq Ahmed, he said that he will meet everyone, and the doors are open for everyone.

"They have been offering this for five years.  Others have to decide," he said, adding that MQM-P is not a part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).