Differences emerge: MQM-PPP alliance in choppy waters

MQM boycotts Sindh Assembly, holds meetings.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Peoples Party on Thursday announced it would drop cases against a banned outfit, Peoples Amn Committee, prompting a strong protest by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which seems to be moving closer to breaking off its alliance with the ruling party.

Things took an ugly turn on Thursday when the MQM boycotted the Sindh Assembly session and later held an emergency meeting, stating that the PPP’s move showed it had closed its doors on forming an electoral alliance with them.

During an in-camera briefing of the Sindh Assembly on the law and order situation in Karachi on Thursday, the IG Sindh announced that cases against Lyari Amn Committee leaders have been withdrawn, including those lodged during the Lyari operation. Following the announcement, MQM leaders, led by Dr Sagheer Ahmed, boycotted the session.

Leaders strongly condemned the withdrawal of the cases
and said that the step had destroyed ties between the two allies.

The MQM Coordination Committee held emergency meetings later in the day in Karachi and London simultaneously, during which the infuriated leaders claimed that the PPP had damaged its ties with the MQM.

Furthermore, the MQM has decided to contest elections in Sindh individually, and will not form an alliance with any party.

Deputy convener of the Coordination Committee Nasreen Jalil told The Express Tribune that being part of the government, it was difficult for them to understand why the PPP was supporting ‘Lyari criminals’.



“This is unacceptable to us. The criminals of Lyari Amn Committee are killing innocent people and are making videos of them being tortured. Yet, the PPP is protecting the gangsters,” she said. However, she clarified that this did not indicate that the MQM was moving out of the current coalition setup with the PPP.

A press statement issued by the party, after the meeting, stated, “The MQM joined hands with the PPP to bring peace and prosperity to the province. Yet, the PPP leaders are spearheading the notorious criminals of Lyari.”

The statement further claimed that members of the banned Lyari Amn Committee were involved in carrying out attacks against Urdu-speaking people. “After identification of Urdu-speaking people, these gangsters take them off public buses, torture them and cut their bodies, scattering their pieces across the city.”

The leaders said that the Lyari gangsters were not only involved in the killing of common people but also in the murder of police officers as well as rocket attacks on their mobiles and police stations. The party alleged that the Lyari gangsters were involved in extortion and were kidnapping traders for ransom.

Meanwhile in Lyari, Uzair Baloch, chief of the Amn Committee, expressed his gratitude towards President Asif Ali Zardari and the PPP government for withdrawing the cases against him and other men of Lyari.

“The people of Lyari are also thankful to Faryal Talpur and Senator Yousuf Baloch for their role,” he said, while talking to reporters Thursday evening.

Hundreds of supporters of Baloch, including women and children, gathered at a prominent spot in Lyari to celebrate the development.

Baloch said that this was proof that all cases lodged against him and his men were fake. “Several cases were being filed against us daily though we were innocents,” he added.

Asked to comment on PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari standing for election from Lyari, Baloch said he had never imposed his own will over the people of Lyari. “There is a Buzrigh Committee (committee of elders) which will decide [on the matter] and I’ll follow it,” he replied.


Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2013.