Zardari hits out at Altaf for ‘negative politics’

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI:

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Saturday that Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain’s ‘negative politics’ was detrimental to his own party’s interests.

In a statement issued by Zardari’s spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar, the PPP co-chairman was quoted as advising the MQM to join the country’s mainstream politics and work for the progress and prosperity of Sindh and Pakistan.

Zardari also advised Altaf to desist from ‘unnecessary’ speeches and statements. The PPP leader told the MQM chief that making incendiary remarks and ‘accusations’ almost every day was in appropriate for a man in his position.

Zardari lamented that the MQM had reneged on its promises made to the PPP. “But the PPP has always kept its promises to the MQM.” He said his party had always put forward two conditions every time they had a dialogue with the MQM: “There will be no discussion on division of Sindh, and cooperation will be ensured to make Karachi a peaceful city.”

The PPP co-chairman said his party’s stance had always been clear that they would not let anyone divide Sindh.

He also said the PPP had always tried to work in harmony with all the federal and provincial governments.

Meanwhile, the MQM’s Rabita Committee said in a statement that whether it was development in Karachi’s urban areas or offering employment, Zardari had never fulfilled any of his promises. They lashed out at the PPP co-chairman in response to his earlier statement.

“The MQM was in power with the PPP in Sindh for five years, Zardari never fulfilled any written agreements,” said the coordination committee statement. “Zardari has realised that Sindhis are leaving behind corrupt politicians of the PPP and are joining the MQM. Like the urban areas, people of rural Sindh have also rejected the PPP.”

The MQM statement said that like Punjab, the PPP was seeing a dark future for the party in Sindh and was, therefore, playing the ‘Sindh’ card. “To garner sympathy from Sindhis, the PPP is falsely accusing the MQM of wanting to divide Sindh.”

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2015.