MQM will contest the chief minister elections against the PPP. PHOTO: FILE
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Wednesday announced that it will occupy the opposition benches both in the National and provincial assembly, Express News reported.
The party also intends to contest for the seat of the Sindh chief minister, proposing Syed Sardar Ahmed as their candidate to compete against former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah in Thursday's elections. Faisal Sabzwari will be their parliamentary leader.
MQM's Farooq Sattar will be the party's parliamentary leader in the National Assembly.
The move was confirmed by MQM's MNA-elect Syed Ali Raza Abidi on Twitter.
Final: MQM decides to sit in Opposition at center and province #Pakistan
— Syed Ali Raza Abidi (@abidifactor) May 29, 2013
MQM had secured 18 seats in the National Assembly during the May 11 elections. It had secured 37 seats in the Sindh provincial assembly.
Earlier, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), who are forming a government in Sindh, had finalised a power-sharing formula whereby they intended to bring the MQM into the government, offering them up to five ministries in addition to advisory roles in the government.
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PTI bravely breaks one more PROMISE
Drone can neither be shot nor stopped ...............PTI
A few days back PTI Leader IMRAN enthusiastically and courageously said, " Hum drone gira dain gay" , and in return he was appraised , appreciated and complimented by everybody .
Ah....:( where has changed? what has changed...........one thing, I am sure, has changed .....and these are PTI's leadership promises and statements are getting CHANGE or molded according to arising situation....
Regional parties like MQM work like this in sub continent. Read guys read.
.. but for how long?
@I am a PTI supporter: so first thing u must do is to stop ur suport i knew already it is old players iun new garb
@Hafiz Shah Ali: I support PTI but I see no TABDEELI so far What TABDEELI? THEY have broken their promises that they made to public during election campaign 1. Turn C.M house into a LIBRARY......But now C.M Pervaiz Khatak says .............. He will not do so....... 2. PTI menifesto says: Equal rights for women....But PTI signed a petition during elections which prohibited the women of KPK to vote........ 3. PTI promised during elections: it will bring new candidates in to power.............But it has nominated a fired bullet a 60 year old man as a Chief Minister in KPK 4. Moreover , a lot of its candidates are rolling stones..........they have been in JI, PML(N) , PPPP, ANP, to name some:These are the parties against which PTI is fighting the war of CHANGE.. If PTI has candidates from these parties how could we expect and have CHANGE?
I support PTI but I see no TABDEELI so far What TABDEELI? THEY have broken their promises that they made to public during election campaign 1. Turn C.M house into a LIBRARY......But now C.M Pervaiz Khatak says .............. He will not do so....... 2. PTI manifesto says: Equal rights for women....But PTI signed a petition during elections which prohibited the women of KPK to vote........ 3. PTI promised during elections: it will bring new candidates in to power.............But it has nominated a fired bullet a 60 year old man as a Chief Minister in KPK 4. Moreover , a lot of its candidates are rolling stones..........they have been in JI, PML(N) , PPPP, ANP, to name some:These are the parties against which PTI is fighting the war of CHANGE.. If PTI has candidates from these parties how could we expect and have CHANGE?
Looks like the change is working. I am sure with the previous rabita committee MQM would have been craving to sit in the government. However, keeping the last five year performance in view, very few believe that this decision will not see a U turn,. Hopefully not.
Haider Abbas Rizvi also urged people to take pictures of suspicious people and post them on social media sites. I bet Karachiites feel safer.
Good move by MQM. They have a good think tank and it appears that they have evaluated all options properly. In opposition, they should work for the rights of their voters and work for them. Many forces are trying to break into the mandate of MQM (biased actions/intentions by judiciary and other forces), so its high time for MQM to work well to keep its mandate intact
A wise move by mqm which they can make wiser by ensuring that this move does not lead to the violence of the 90s. They should gain further credibility in the Sindhs urban areas by taking up the urban issues of Sindh in a constructive and cinstitutional manner especially the establishment of strong metropolitan governments in Sindh's urban areas but on the basis of requirements of good governance rather than that of ethnicity. This will also force pretenders like PTI or PML(N) to come out and show their true colors by clearly opposing or supporting strong local governments in the major cities of Sindh, or for that matter, Pakistan. Thus, it is a win-win situation for mqm. Good thinking, rabita committee!
Politics of violence and hate is about to come. A fish is out of water and it can do any thing to go back to water. Stay safe people of Sindh.
The credit goes to PTI :D
It is a good decision and has support of those who matter which is its supporters and voters. MQM must be reassured that we Karachi walas do consider them a valuable source to represent and stand up and resist the ill designs of the natives and the provincials petty little minds and their hatred and exploitations. Long live MQM!
@I. Kamal:
agreed, probably in one day
Another stunt by MQM to gain sympathetic momentum in the start. Will surely come to power soon.
for how long?
MQM learning from PTI
For all those ranting about the MQM being an "opportunistic" party should realize that its a very smart and sensible strategy on the part of MQM. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the MQM being on the government or treasury side. For a small party like the MQM with its core constituency based in two cities, it has to make sure that in order to further the interests of its constituents, it has to decide which side is willing to offer a better deal to the MQM. This is just how party politics play out all over the World. It would be stupid on the part of MQM to have rigid positions and not wanting to maneuver.
MQM should continue to re-evaluate its position and if the time is right, perhaps join the government in the future. The key point is to address the interests of its constituents.
Restoring the MQM's creibility will now require more than just cosmetic gestures..........they have much work ahead of them.
Yes, it is a wise decision of MQM from its point of view. The party can exert pressurefor the releae of its workers arrested for various reasons. By the way, who was this Ajmal Baig who was allegedly killed in police custody. Was he Ajmal Pahari? Can anyone please enlighten me.
@I. Kamal: Ideal candidate for Home Ministry under current situation would be Makhdoom Rafik Uz Zaman. He is intelligent, well respected and clean person.He knows how to deal with Iron hand but in velvet glove
MQM . I am soryy , I cant believe on u.
I am glad they made this decision. They should work on Local Governments and try to serve Sindh at grass root level. Hopefully, they will not join the corrupt system again.
"MQM decides to sit in opposition in national, provincial assemblies"
Should actually be :
"MQM FORCED to sit in opposition in national, provincial assemblies"
Let's see how many "days" they sit on opposition benches.
They had no other option left, but to sit in opposition. Still, i do not trust their decision, because of their 'swinging' politics in the past 5 years.
Wise decision. I say do not vote for PPP for leader of opposition....vote for PTI candidate
MQM was suppose to sit on the opposition benches long time before during the PPP rule.
Now PPP won majority of seats in the Provincial Assembly to make the Government in Sindh, therefore PPP would not like MQM to join the Government.
The most unfortunate part of MQM is that it works like a pendulum of the clock and it never stick to what it says once.
MQM will gain the honour if it sits on the opposition benches, but the question arises whether MQM will be in real opposition with PPP in the province of Sindh, or MQM is just sitting on the opposition benches in the National and Provincial Assembly of Sindh, to oppose PML(N) Government.
One never know if the Raabta Committee of MQM make take overnight decision to join PPP in the Sindh Government and sit on the opposition benches in National Assembly?
Whatever is unsure may come sure with the passage of time, but one thing is sure and I can see that written on the wall that Governor of Sindh Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan have to go now, as the new Governor will have to sworn-in very near future.
If MQM joins Government then Leader of opposition will go PML-N. Both PPP and MQM are wise enough to retain both treasury and opposition to marginalize PML-N in Sindh assembly. Eik ticket mein do mazey.
MQM should have joined the provincial government on condition that the be given the Home Ministry. A person like Syed Mustafa Kamal could bring law and order to Karachi in less than 90 days.
First time MQM doing positive politics. All credit goes to PTI.
The million dollar question is "For How Long"?? for a week or a month .... before they join the govt. in "country's best interest"!!
It's all because of PTI........
This is the mentality which reminds of the bygone era of East Pakistan, exactly the same attitude.
What a move by MQM+PPP. Now MQM will play the role of Friendly opposition. They both knew that PML-N, PML-F & PTI would have given them tough time.
A wise decision by MQM. Improvement can be seen. Change has come.
wow!! dear karachites, ur lives have no danger from government. ..now u will have threats from opposition. ..:p
All drama, within six months they'll be in government.
They know that PML-N got the clear majority and MQM can not blackmail them by sitting in the government, and they no more need MQM.