Government to meet only rational MQM demands
Tuesday’s attack on MQM lawmaker Rashid Godil was also discussed in the Nawaz-Fazl meeting
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman talk during their meeting on Wednesday. PHOTO: INP
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has acquiesced to meet ‘only logical demands’ of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – that too after conferring with all stakeholders in Karachi, The Express Tribune has learnt. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of his eponymous faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, who met MQM leaders at the party’s headquarters Nine Zero on Tuesday, briefed the premier about the party’s demands in a meeting on Wednesday.
Sources said both Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazl agreed to commit to the MQM what is acceptable to all stakeholders. They also agreed that before making any commitment to the MQM on its reservations over the Karachi operation, the government would consult all stakeholders, including the law enforcement and intelligence agencies and the provincial government.
While sharing MQM’s key demands, sources said the party was asking the federal government for allowing its genuine workers, like sector and unit in-charges, to collect hides of sacrificial animals. Sources said the MQM was also perturbed over the Rangers action against collection of Firtrana during Eidul Fitr. Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazl concurred that the stakeholders would not agree to this demand.
The MQM is also seeking representation on any decision-making meeting, like the Sindh Apex Committee on implementation of the National Action Plan against terrorism. The stakeholders, sources said, have already rejected this demand. Another MQM demand for constitution of a parliamentary oversight body for the Karachi operation is also apparently unacceptable to the stakeholders who believe the party would use it to try and undermine the capacities of the law enforcement agencies.
According to sources, Maulana Fazl informed the prime minister that any oversight body of politicians could convince the MQM to withdraw resignations and return to the assemblies. To this, the prime minister said the makeup of the proposed monitoring body and its terms of reference (ToRs) would be discussed with the stakeholders.
The MQM’s demand for a judicial commission to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killing of its workers has been rejected outright by the stakeholders. And sources said Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazl also agreed not to commit any such thing to the MQM. Similarly, the party’s demand for release of its detained workers is also not acceptable to the stakeholders, sources added.
The MQM is also demanding appointment of certain government officials in the urban areas of Sindh, sources said. However, Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazal agreed that instead the prime minister would ask the Sindh administration to listen to the MQM on routine civic issues like drainage, drinking water, etc.
Tuesday’s attack on MQM lawmaker Rashid Godil was also discussed in the Nawaz-Fazl meeting. Subsequently, the prime minister telephoned Godil’s son to inquire after the health of his father who, medics say, is recuperating but still critical.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2015.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has acquiesced to meet ‘only logical demands’ of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – that too after conferring with all stakeholders in Karachi, The Express Tribune has learnt. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of his eponymous faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, who met MQM leaders at the party’s headquarters Nine Zero on Tuesday, briefed the premier about the party’s demands in a meeting on Wednesday.
Sources said both Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazl agreed to commit to the MQM what is acceptable to all stakeholders. They also agreed that before making any commitment to the MQM on its reservations over the Karachi operation, the government would consult all stakeholders, including the law enforcement and intelligence agencies and the provincial government.
While sharing MQM’s key demands, sources said the party was asking the federal government for allowing its genuine workers, like sector and unit in-charges, to collect hides of sacrificial animals. Sources said the MQM was also perturbed over the Rangers action against collection of Firtrana during Eidul Fitr. Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazl concurred that the stakeholders would not agree to this demand.
The MQM is also seeking representation on any decision-making meeting, like the Sindh Apex Committee on implementation of the National Action Plan against terrorism. The stakeholders, sources said, have already rejected this demand. Another MQM demand for constitution of a parliamentary oversight body for the Karachi operation is also apparently unacceptable to the stakeholders who believe the party would use it to try and undermine the capacities of the law enforcement agencies.
According to sources, Maulana Fazl informed the prime minister that any oversight body of politicians could convince the MQM to withdraw resignations and return to the assemblies. To this, the prime minister said the makeup of the proposed monitoring body and its terms of reference (ToRs) would be discussed with the stakeholders.
The MQM’s demand for a judicial commission to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killing of its workers has been rejected outright by the stakeholders. And sources said Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazl also agreed not to commit any such thing to the MQM. Similarly, the party’s demand for release of its detained workers is also not acceptable to the stakeholders, sources added.
The MQM is also demanding appointment of certain government officials in the urban areas of Sindh, sources said. However, Premier Nawaz and Maulana Fazal agreed that instead the prime minister would ask the Sindh administration to listen to the MQM on routine civic issues like drainage, drinking water, etc.
Tuesday’s attack on MQM lawmaker Rashid Godil was also discussed in the Nawaz-Fazl meeting. Subsequently, the prime minister telephoned Godil’s son to inquire after the health of his father who, medics say, is recuperating but still critical.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2015.