‘Minister-ing to friends: PML-F just said ‘hello’, but is it ‘goodbye’ now over MQM’s re-entry?

The PML-F has 8 members in the Sindh Assembly and four ministries. MQM claims it never asked for specific ministries.

KARACHI: Uncertainty prevailed over the fate of the political alliance in Sindh with Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) chief Pir Pagara threatening to quit the coalition government if the portfolios of their ministers are changed or re-allocated to nominees of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

(Read: A piece of the pie: PML-F refuses to give up ‘MQM’ ministries)

Talking to the media after presiding over a meeting at Kingi House, Pir Pagara said that PML-F ministers would continue with their present assignments and his party would not ‘tolerate’ any negative tactics by the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government. “We will have no choice but to say ‘goodbye’ to the government even if one portfolio is taken back,” he said, threatening that all options, including joining the opposition benches in the assembly, were open to them.

Pir Pagara, who is also the spiritual head of the Hur Jamaat, was of the view that his party had initiated a reconciliation policy with President Asif Ali Zardari and they would talk to him only. “The chief minister is himself in possession of many [un-allocated] portfolios,” said Pagara. “Why does he not hand over some of them to the MQM ministers?”

Giving details of the departments under the CM’s control, Pagara said land utilisation, planning and development, works and services, forests, cooperative societies, coal and energy, the revenue board, transport etc. could be distributed among the coalition partners, i.e. the MQM. “It’s not an issue of portfolios, but our stand is based on principles. Why should we hand over our departments, which have been given to us?”

Criticising Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, he said, “Shah Sahib is my neighbour which is why he is victimising us. We always hear him patiently, but he has no other job but to work against us,” he said.

Pagara recalled that when the MQM had deserted the coalition, the PPP-led government was put on the backfoot, prompting it to reach out to the PML-F for support.  Pagara said that the government had committed to provide important departments to PML-F ministers, but this never materialised.

“We supported the government, but it seems they have used us for their vested interest. We are now waiting for President Zardari’s response. Otherwise we are free to decide,” he said.

Earlier, in a meeting held at Kingri House, PML-F leaders decided to constitute a committee to negotiate with the PPP before making a decision to part ways with the government.

Sources in the party said that the three members of the committee, including Minister for Information Technology Imtiaz Shaikh, PML-F MNA Khuda Bux Rajar, who is the federal minister for narcotics, will meet President Zardari and his team.

“It looks like the government wants to give the MQM priority over the PML-F, which is not a good omen,” Shaikh told The Express Tribune.

MQM’s denial

In a surprising move, the MQM denied that it had asked for any specific ministries. Talking to The Express Tribune, Wasay Jalil, a Rabita Committee member of the party, said. “We have never demanded ministries because the MQM has extended [the Sindh government] unconditional support.”

He said that it was at the chief minister’s discretion to hand out the portfolios. “We will accept whatever departments are allotted to our ministers,” he said.

For its part, the PML-Q leadership has remained aloof. Its ministers have also been reportedly asked by the CM to relinquish their portfolios to help accommodate MQM ministers.  Sources said that the CM had called PML-Q ministers for a meeting on Friday but it was postponed.

Sports Minister Haleem Adil Shaikh of the PML-Q said as well that they would talk with President Zardari, because the Sindh government could not resolve the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2011.