MQM, JUI-F to continue next round of talks in Islamabad

JUI-F chief appreciates MQM's 'positive attitude' towards talks

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement announced on Tuesday that their meeting with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Fazl chief ended on a positive note at Nine Zero in Karachi, adding that the dialogue would continue in Islamabad.

In a joint press conference after the meeting, MQM leader Farooq Sattar said the JUI-F chief had spoken to Altaf Hussain and asked the party to come back to Parliament to play their roles.

“We took an extreme step and now the JUI-F chief has told us to reconsider our step,” Sattar said, adding that the party would take the dialogue process forward and the next round of talks will be held in Islamabad.

Read: MQM's Rashid Godil shot, critically injured in Karachi

“Altaf Hussain and the senior MQM leadership have rested their trust in the JUI-F chief and we thank him for his visit. We will consider his suggestions as he has come to Nine Zero as a mediator and we respect him,” Sattar said.

He claimed that his party lawmakers resigned over a violation of Constitutional, legal and human rights and the MQM would only take the resignations back after these issues are addressed.

“We have not opposed the Karachi operation but we are seeking impartiality,” he added.

Earlier, upon his arrival at the party headquarters, the MQM activists showered the JUI-F chief with rose petals and chanted slogans to welcome him; however, the festivities were short-lived as news of an attack on MQM MNA Rashid Gondil broke.

However, talks continued despite the attack.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman thanked MQM chief Altaf Hussain and his party members for displaying a positive attitude towards the dialogue process.

Read: Intelligence officer, 2 militants killed in crossfire during Rangers raid in Karachi

“Despite the unfortunate terror incident, I did not observe any change in the positive attitude of the MQM leadership,” Fazl said.

Terming the attack on Godil a cowardly attempt to sabotage the dialogue process, the JUI-F chief condemned the attack and prayed for the life of the injured parliamentary leader of the MQM.

“I have been given a mandate from the government as well as the opposition,” Fazl said, adding that like every other dialogue process, this will also gradually move forward.

Fazl, during his first ever visit to the MQM’s party headquarters, aimed to woo MQM parliamentarians back to the assemblies after party lawmakers had announced to submit their resignations over the party’s reservations on the Rangers operations in Karachi.

Read: Talks with MQM: Maulana Fazlur Rehman arrives in Karachi

Upon his arrival, Fazl was received by senior MQM leaders Nasreen Jalil, Farooq Sattar, Syed Sardar Ahmed, Rauf Siddiqui, Waseem Akhtar and others.

Further, prominent party leader Haider Abbas Rizvi, who had been out of the party politics for the last few days, was also seen at the party headquarters.

Earlier, families of the missing party workers also arrived at Nine Zero to meet the Fazl and convey their concerns, sources said.

Meanwhile, the JUI-F chief, during his meeting with the senior MQM leadership, condemned the attack on MQM leader Rashid Godil.

Earlier, he also expressed hope they would reach a positive conclusion over the MQM parliamentarians’ resignation issue. “There should be impartial investigation of the Karachi operation,” he added.

“MQM wants to resolve all issues through dialogue and negotiations,” MQM leader Farooq Sattar said and hoped that the JUI-F chief would present solutions to their reservations.

Read: Clearing the air: Fazl to visit MQM headquarters over resignations

On Saturday last week, the JUI-F chief had spoken to MQM chief Altaf Hussain and assured him that all genuine grievances of the MQM would be addressed.