"In the last five years, we couldn’t do much for the people and there is resentment among them," The deputy convener of MQM’s Rabita Committee, Nasir Jamal. PHOTO: FILE
Former interior minister and Pakistan Peoples Party’s trouble-shooter Rehman Malik is likely to visit the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters today to do what he does best - woo the disgruntled.
But the MQM is expected to give a tough time to PPP, claiming that it has no desire to join the provincial government as yet. After the governor met the chief minister recently, the speculation began with some placing their bets on the MQM leaving the opposition benches to sit with the provincial government.
The deputy convener of MQM’s Rabita Committee, Nasir Jamal, told The Express Tribune that as of now, the party has no wish to become a part of the government. He added that it was the PPP which was offering MQM power. “In the last five years, we couldn’t do much for the people and there is resentment amongst them. We don’t want to carry the excessive baggage of PPP again.”
However, Jamal didn’t deny the possibility that his party could be PPP’s coalition partner in the provincial government for the next five years. In fact people within the party say the MQM - which is currently in the opposition - is most likely to become part of the provincial government within a week. But before that, the MQM is expected to give PPP a tough time, laying down its own conditions.
This includes demanding the home ministry which had been with the Zardari-led party in the last government.
The MQM is also expected to raise concerns with the provincial government over the disappearance and killing of its activists. Some discussion on a local body system is also expected.
Jamal said the decision of whether to join the provincial government or not would be taken after the party leaders and their activists have all had their say.
Meanwhile, other MQM leaders such as Rabita Committee member Haider Abbas Rizvi, remained tight-lipped on the talks between the two parties.
“It is too early to say that the MQM is going to be part of the Sindh government. This is a long process and would require time. We have serious reservations on certain points.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2013.
COMMENTS (28)
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@ Aysha......... You are either two naive or totally unaware of the situation. First of all I ain't no Wadera, Fuedal, industrialist or an IK or JI supporter but totally impartial from a working class. I have not fallen in any trap, Infact you have; the Bangali situation cannot be compared. There was an enemy in between both the Pakistan and if you think of it this way then it is very disturbing clearly you are under political influence and the whole nation will rise any such declarations.
Just a quick reminder ANP, JI, are not the parties of fuedals why them then....
I have seen what has happened to Karachi with my own eyes and my views are not perception or due to any smear campaign. Right from the common streets to educational institutions; from industries to residential areas; from small shops to departments of utilities such as KESC, Water & Sewerage Board, local hospitals, T&T etc has seen the influence.. I am sorry to say this and I know you will not agree but MQM doesn't represent the best. The slums of Liaquatabad, Orangi and many other areas like that are the same. What has happened to the transfer of businesses from Karachi. Strike calls, businesses closed every other week, innocent killed or threatened every day, Bhattas collected from households. Models are not presented in the way you project. I am not saying anymore on this.
PEACE, PEACE & PEACE is what Karachi wants now rest will come gradually with it.
You are really naive to think that Shia and Sunni conflict has not happened due to the origin of MQM.
Of course you have a right to vote whoever you want and reap the seed that you sow. I will not get into anymore debate on this, as it is pointless; at least in your case.
Just think / analyse the facts....that's all I can say.
@Such Bolta Hoon: Why do you think bangalis had issues? Just think . . .
@Such Bolta Hoon: You have walked right into the trap. This is what the forces of status quo wanted. The smear campaign against MQM has paid off. The perceptions built against MQM arrested the movement of middle and lower middle class people towards corridor of power.
Emulating MQM model, middle and lower middle class people from other provinces would have demanded to engage in active politics and run the government machinery themselves which would have shaken the status quo. But, perceptions created about MQM contributed to the perpetuation of supremacy of feudal, waderaas, jagirdaars and industrialists in the power politics.
There has been no shia sunni conflict after MQM and when they had administrative authority, there was development in my city and no target killings Just think. . .
I want direct election of our city Mayor, I will vote for whichever party facilitates that.
Readers/Bloggers Although no one should get personal however Aysha a lot of regular bloggers find your views extraordinarily detached from ground realities.. Please think of people living in Karachi wherever you live and analyse what has happened since 1987 in the last 26 years to Karachi.
Questions to ask Has MQM been able to bring the communities together in Karachi or created more tension among the various communities living over there and further away. Why MQM has issues with Pathans, Sindhis, Punjabis and Baluchis.
Just think.....
@Such Bolta Hoon: MQM has presented a model to Pakistani politics that middle and lower middle class people can make it to parliament houses, which were largely meant for fuedals, wadras and industrialists. MQM with all its follies, it has done more good than harm. They represent Karachi best.
@True Karachiite: I have been regularly. I am million miles away from my city and completely true to my janam bhoomee and not part of any social team. I have no idea what you mean, when you say that we cant be fooled by MQM, Please explain
@Aysha M: Please read this
You have been defending MQM on ET since the last few days. Before that you weren't even regular poster here. I think that you are a part of MQM's social media team.
Aysha you are probably my fellow karachiite and know the true situation. We cannot be made fools over and over by MQM. They close business every week which only hurt us. They dont hurt anyone else.
Aysha try to be true to your city and your country. Please.
@Aysha M: just grow up. Karachi is dying Pakistan is crying and you are defending MQM for nothing
The exploitation at its height !!!! The slums of Liaquatabad, Orangi etc remain the same as these were before.
PEACE.....PEACE.....PEACE......please that is what the public in Karachi wants nothing more at this stage.
Readers/ Bloggers, MQM has no where else to go.They are trying their very best to keep their Governor for which they unanimously supported PML-N and congratulated Nawaz. Sadly for them there are limited chances to get any ministries in the Fedral setup. People of Karachi must wake up before it is too late. What did you get since MQM came into power? A few developmental projects are nothing.....any government would have done it. The most important luxury for Karachi is 'peace, safety, law and order' a government in power should be able to provide that. Blaming Taliban all the time will not get the people of Karachi anywhere. Karachi was fine and peaceful before 1987.
Questions for Karachites to explore;
Who is behind Bhattas, Bodies in gunny bags, torture cells, snatching of hides during Eid, damage to properties, forced strikes and associated activities such as setting buses on fire, vandalising shops and local businesses, firing by unknown riders, targeted killings, introduction of cheating in academic institutions of Karachi, threatening of teachers and media persons, discriminatory slogans and introduction of wall chalking full of ethnic hatred etc.
All this wasn't there !!!!!!! before 1987 and the most important point is that; has this been reduced or increased.
Karachites must wake up
@NK Ali: Touche!! My friend.
Karachi is the economic hub, financial capital, revenue engine of the country. But Karachites have no value. They are lesser beings their lives and property have no meaning for anybody outside Karachi. If people get killed on a daily basis you are supposed to be indifferent, stay quiet and not even call for peaceful strikes, that is what most people say. Karachites are simply considered disposable commodity by the rest of the country.
No political party at national level ever seriously made any effort to understand the problems faced by the inhabitants of the metropolis. Not once did any leader of any political party claiming national presence ever visited Karachi and interacted with the people.
Did Nawaz Sharif, Zardari or Imran Khan ever come to Karachi University address the youth and show their interest in the future of the young, driven and bright Karachites. Not once.
Karachi does not have reason to trust anybody but just one political force that has remained true to them for over 3 decades and fought for their rights.
The hard working people of Karachi do not deserve the transport system they are subjected and the uncooperative and even hostile police imposed on them. These issues need to be resolved and brought under city government.
After the Bushra Zaidi incident in the mid 80s, if there were genuine people who had interest of the people of Karachi at heart, the transport system would have been revamped. It should have been released from the clutches of the least literate and most temperamental. But unfortunately that was never done and the same section of population, with their tribal mindset, continue to have a hold on the transport system to date.
Unfortunately those who get the political mandate of the city in the last 3 decades got the administrative mandate just once and people witnessed what difference the real representative of Karachi made.
My vote is or the party which will give us direct election of the mayor and policing and transport under him. We in Karachi need a directly elected administrator who is eating, drinking, thinking and managing Karachi alone and has no other responsibility
MQM had demanded the interior ministery and city govt. for a long time now, lets see if they can get it now. I agree a local police and city govt. is in the best intrest of the city and also the whole country. MQM has a proven record when it comes to delivering peace and progress to Karachi, lets hope they get a. Chance to do so again.
so who is responsible for all the innocent lives? coalition government? why you people don't understand your failure
@ Aysha
I agree that it would be stupid of MQM to go into partership with PPP without having an agreement on the withdrawn local government ordinance. It is clear that PPP is going to spend another 5 years governing the rest of the province badly. But this is perhaps the last chance for MQM to do good governance in Karachi and other urban areas of Sindh through an adequately empoowered local governments system and thus show its mettle to rest of Sindh and rest of Pakistan. They will have to look towards Dubai and Singapore for models of good governance and run the city on a non-ethnic basis pretty much like Mustafa Kamal did.
MQM would further need to completely own up the Karachi Circular Railway system which is ready for implementation and can be finished in 4-5 years time thus dovetailing nicely into the next election time.
The above sounds obvious but the past experience shows that sometimes the obvious has been lost on the mqm during the past 5 years. It goes only to MQM's benefit, that its only credible rival in the Sindh's urban areas, has shot itself in its foot by not presenting any urban revival agenda for Sindh's urban areas.
@ashar: Never read any report of MQM parliamentarians involved in any financial irregularities
@NK Ali: Salams?
** Your point of view is very much clear and need to be respected, however you are requested to avoid making such tall claims like above, believe me MQM stands no where regarding your above statement. Yes, they have not been that type of people they are now but we expect them to change or replaced with the advent of new management at the core.
@Aysha M: Well said Ayesha. Salams. @Billoo Bhaya: Superbly placed comment. Salams.
The MQM must remain on the sidelines and let PPP destroy the province of Sindh through their operational methods of corruption, lawlessness, and under-development. During the floods the PPP did nothing to help the affectees and later on came up with the BISP to win votes. The villages of some of the high and mighty ministers of PPP are in such a despicable condition that one can call it a 'state of shock.' Salams
@Billoo Bhaya: I wonder what makes you say that I am parroting official line, all I am saying is that my city needs a city government which would have policing and transport under it. This is what MQM demands, I think MQM represents what I want for my city so I support them. Is that parroting official line
Didnt quite get the second part of your comment, unable to respond
@Dr No: What do you think MQM does once in power, when there had interior ministry there was nothing like target killing or shia killing
@Aysha M: You are amazing in parroting official MQM line that no one buys any longer. But you have a right to say what you want that you deny others within your constituencies.
MQM is dying to join government as it can't survive without sitting on treasury benches in Sindh assembly and can't be away from helm of affairs. Until then it will keep observing strikes in the name of killing of its workers but gives a damn about other innocent people who are being killed in streets of Karachi for many years. Hasn't this party realized by now that its rein in Karachi is almost over. People of Karachi are fed with parties with armed wings and now looking towards a change. Though MQM stole last election from those parties this time but will not be able to do so in the next election.
My money is on MQM joining the sindh govt. Cant even say i'm gambling here
They will eventually join. Lotta's will remain Lota's forever
MQM is power hungry it will join government
PPP can't govern Sind without MQM yet people gave them Pakistan to govern. Govern they did, into the ground. What is left of Sind will end in the next 5 years. Bye Bye Sind.
All MQM is looking for is local policing and local government for the interest of the people and nothing more. MQM parliamentarians are never in pursuit of anything at personal level