President Zardari exchanges views with Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik during a meeting at Bilawal House in Karachi on Thursday. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was also present. PHOTO: PPI
In an unexpected development, MQM chief Altaf Hussain dispelled a perception that his party was going to quit the PPP-led coalition and assured President Asif Ali Zardari of his party’s continued support to the government.
This comes against the backdrop of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s support to a scheduled ‘million-man’ march of influential scholar Tahirul Qadri.
According to presidential spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar, the two leaders pledged support to each other during a phone conversation on Thursday.
The talks between the two leaders may signal progress in resolving the pending issues between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and its key coalition partner (MQM), sources added.
According to a press statement released by MQM, Altaf told the president that rumours circulating about MQM walking out from the current government setup were completely false, adding that his party would continue to work with the government.
While talking to the president, the MQM chief said he believed in democracy and his party being supportive of the democratic system could never think of derailing it.
Sources revealed that Interior Minister Rehman Malik has assured Altaf Hussain that his party’s grievances, such as the delimitation issue in Karachi and the upcoming caretaker setup, would be redressed by the government.
It was not confirmed whether MQM would still join the long march on January 14, but senior PPP leaders have high hopes that MQM will not attend the event.
Talking to the media in Faislabad, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said, “Nawaz Sharif and the Punjab government are with us and even MQM will not attend the long march.”
Earlier, Interior Minister Rehman Malik called his meeting with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain in London a success.
“Bhai” has assured that MQM would not let anyone derail the democratic setup, Malik told reporters on his arrival from London on Thursday.
“Altaf Bhai has ruled out all speculations. I conveyed to him President Zardari’s message and he responded that MQM is a major coalition partner of the government and will continue its partnership in future too,” he added.
Referring to intelligence reports, the federal minister said that following the attack on MQM rally participants in Karachi’s Federal B Area neighbourhood, there are serious security threats. “Terrorists can target a public gathering in Islamabad too,” he said.
Regarding the government decision to suspend the mobile service in Pakistan on Thursday, he said that the step had been taken in view of serious terrorism threats.
Qadri is welcome in Isloo
He said that the government would not create hurdles in the long march to be organised by Minhajul Quran led by Qadri. “We will welcome Dr Tahirul Qadri in Islamabad and give him permission to organise the event,” he said.
Later Malik went to the Bilawal House and held a one-on-one meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari and briefed him about his London trip.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2013.
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As a result of the agreement all the talks and jihad against dynastic politics and feudal would stop once again. The poor workers who were supposed to go for the march would now sit home and wait for the next orders. This is called democracy in the party.