Altaf Hussain and Rehman Malik met for over three hours in London on Saturday. PHOTO: INP
Interior Minister Rehman Malik partially won over his party’s disgruntled former ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, as the two agreed on Saturday to resume dialogue and head towards a possible seat adjustment in the upcoming elections.
In a three-and-a-half hour meeting held between Malik and MQM chief Altaf Hussain in London, the two leaders agreed to set their differences aside and get back to talks on disputes.
Saturday’s meeting was the first for a leader from the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party to meet with the MQM chief, whose party resigned from the government last month over the withdrawal of cases against Lyari criminals.
The MQM chose to sit in the opposition, in both the national and Sindh assemblies.
The leaders decided that even though both parties would contest the polls individually, they could possibly agree on an adjustment on certain seats in the general elections.
Passing on a cordial message from the president to the MQM chief, Malik said: “Although the two parties have ended their coalition, good relations established between them during the last five years have not been ruined.”
In agreement, Altaf said that his party would maintain cordial ties with the PPP for the nation’s sake and would continue to promote peace and stability in Sindh.
“The MQM believes in continuing good relations with all forces in the country that promote democracy, including the PPP,” Altaf said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 3rd, 2013.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ