LG elections: Opposition parties to form ‘grand alliance’

MQM says while the party does not wish to be part of a grand alliance, they're willing to make alliance at UC levels.

KARACHI:

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has hinted that it likely to form an alliance with other opposition parties of the Sindh Assembly ahead of the local bodies elections.

PML-N Sindh general secretary Ali Akbar Gujjar told The Express Tribune that the party had contacted the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and other parties to form a grand alliance. “Talks are currently in the initial stages so it is difficult to predict who will be part of the alliance,” he added.

“We will send a detailed report to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the party’s central general secretary, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, regarding the political situation in the province,” said Gujjar.

Meanwhile, Jam Madad Ali of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional has also hinted that they would announce the formation of an alliance within two to three days. “”All opposition parties are in consensus regarding the local government ordinances. We will make an alliance against the Pakistan Peoples Party,” he asserted.

MQM deputy convener Nasir Jamal told The Express Tribune that, though the party did not wish to be a part of a grand alliance, they were willing to make an alliance at the union council levels. Opposition parties in Sindh have expressed strong dissatisfaction over the amendments and announced to protest against them. Recently, the MQM, PML-F and PML-N also convened a meeting to chalk out a strategy to get the amendments repealed.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2013.