Tackling national challenges: Calling for unity, MQM meets old rivals, allies

JI chief calls for grand political alliance; Shujaat backs MQM efforts.

LAHORE:

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Jamaat-e-Islami agreed on Tuesday that the myriad of problems faced by the country warranted all political parties sit together and find a way out.

An MQM delegation met with JI chief Syed Munawar Hasan at Mansoora in Lahore on Tuesday as part of its efforts to evolve a consensus among political forces on issues of national security, including the Balochistan situation.

Appearing at a joint news conference with MQM deputy convener Dr Farooq Sattar, the JI chief said that regular interactions between political workers were necessary to remove misunderstandings.

He renewed his proposal for a grand political alliance to pressure the government to hold parliamentary election on time. Time for snap election has passed, he added.

“I’ve already invited Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif to join the proposed grand alliance,” he added.

Speaking about his Mansoora visit, Dr Farooq Sattar said that the MQM delegation was meeting political leaders to evolve a consensus on one-point agenda on national security.

Dr Sattar said the two sides had discussed the situation in Balochistan and Karachi, movement of US aircraft careers in coastal areas, power outages, economic situation and the upcoming elections.

Separately, the MQM delegation also met with PML-Q leaders at the residence of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in Rawalpindi.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Dr Farooq Sattar said his party has always played its role for the country’s solidarity in difficult times. And it will continue to do so in the future.

The MQM believes that all political and religious groups should unite on one platform to steer the country out of the present challenges, said Dr Sattar.

He added that the MQM demand for a roundtable conference of all political and religious parties was the need the hour and it should not be ignored.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain appreciated the efforts of MQM chief Altaf Hussain for steering the country out of crises. He added that his party would support every effort for tackling the challenges faced by the country.

He assured the MQM delegation that the PML-Q would attend the proposed roundtable conference.

From the PML-Q side, Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Syed Haleem Adil Sheikh also attended the meeting.

The MQM delegation, which has already met with President Asif Ali Zardari, will also meet ANP leaders.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2012.