Backdoor negotiations with MQM are still going on: CM Sindh

Qaim Ali Shah hopeful of reviving talks with MQM to reverse decision of sitting in the opposition.

KARACHI:

On a day when the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) moved to further entrench itself in the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah hinted that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) wanted to get the coalition back up again.

Speaking to media after visiting injured Hazara shia at the Aga Khan hospital where they are currently receiving treatment, Shah said that “back door negotiations with MQM are still going on and very soon we will hold a meeting with them.” He also clarified misquoted statements saying he had never said “if MQM wants it can part ways with government.”

The chief minister further said that no one would be allowed to divide Sindh and those who were chanting slogans in favour of bifurcating Sindh are living in fool’s’ paradise.

To a question Shah added that the Sindh Peoples Local Government System 2012 (SPLGO) had been repealed and old system Sindh Local government system 1979 revived due to persistent demand by people in Sindh.

Meanwhile deputy speaker Shehla Raza said that though the PPP had won the recent by-polls in Thatta and Jamshoro, but they realised during the election campaign just how angry the people of Sindh were over the SPLGO. “Our candidate faced such a tough situation because everywhere people were asking why the government has introduced a “dual system” by introducing metropolitan corporations in six districts and retaining the district council in rest of the province,” she said adding that the anger and frustration expressed by local people pushed the government into revoking the SPLGO and revive the old local government system.

Raza insisted that that cases against the criminals belonging to Lyari have not been taken back and targeted operations are still going on in Lyari and other areas of the Karachi.