Susan Hyland, the acting deputy British High Commissioner and political counsellor at the British High Commission in Islamabad, visited the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) headquarters Nine Zero on Tuesday to discuss the political situation in the country.
The MQM is generally tight-lipped about its meetings with foreign diplomats but said they discussed national politics, the upcoming elections and the economic situation.
Present at the meeting were MQM Deputy Convener Coordination Committee Nasreen Jalil, Minister for Youth Affairs Faisal Subzwari and Coordination Committee member Kunwar Khalid Yunus.
When asked why the MQM has so many meetings with British diplomats, Subzwari told The Express Tribune, “We aren’t the only ones who have meetings with diplomats, everyone does, but we’re the only ones who make it public and we have nothing to hide,” as he laughed saying that others may have more to be embarrassed about. “I have seen far right religious clerics coming out of the houses of US envoys, but they don’t tell anyone of course.”
British Deputy High Commissioner Francis Campbell has been out of the country and Hyland is in charge and that is why Sabzwari said the meeting took place, and that it wasn’t specifically because she holds the position of Political Counsellor. The last meeting between the MQM and Francis Campbell took place in April, where she also met members of the Awami National Party, when killings and extortion peaked.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2012.
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