Zulfiqar Mirza’s words: ‘MQM will be appeased’

Zardari expressed the hope that the misunderstanding between the coalition partners would soon be resolved.

KARACHI: If anyone was expecting fireworks during the president’s visit to Karachi after Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza’s controversial statements against the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) coalition partner, they would have been disappointed. President Asif Ali Zardari did say, however, that all Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) reservations would be addressed. He recalled a meeting he had with an MQM delegation recently in Islamabad and said that the policy of reconciliation would continue.

This was the political outcome by Wednesday evening after Zardari chaired a meeting of PPP ministers, advisers and MPAs of Sindh at Bilawal House, which was also attended by Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Khuhro.

In a briefing, presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar said President Zardari had instructed them to refrain from making hostile statements against coalition partners. He expressed the hope that the misunderstanding between the coalition partners would soon be resolved.

When asked whether Mirza would be stepping down from his ministry in order to appease the MQM, a PPP leader later told The Express Tribune that this issue was just a “ruse”. “There are other things that have nothing to do with Mirza,” he said, without elaborating, adding that the issues would be resolved soon in the coming few days. The PPP and MQM have to, for instance, thrash out a decision on the commissionerate or local body system and any reshuffling in the Sindh as well as federal cabinet along with the distribution of funds to MPAs.

After the meeting ended and Dr Zulfiqar Mirza emerged, journalists jumped at him. He gave a short reply: “If BB can sacrifice her life for democracy then why can Zulfiqar Mirza not do so for one ministry? I can do this whenever I am asked.”

For its part, the MQM continued to express unhappiness with Mirza’s language but tempered this by saying that there was a desire to keep the alliance intact. The MQM Rabita Committee’s Wasim Aftab told The Express Tribune that they had not demanded the government remove the home minister but this was not the first time he had used harsh words against the MQM. “Each time we have sent our grievances to the prime minister, the president and others in writing because we have always expressed tolerance and want to keep this alliance inact,” he said.

Sources in the party said that the president has been happy with the home minister’s performance and at every special cabinet meeting has said that Mirza had done a good job and that his performance needs to be highlighted.

“I don’t see the president removing his close friend from a very important ministry,” a senior PPP leader said. “This would be considered surrender. Mirza will continue in office until he himself tenders his resignation.” A senior party leader also spoke about a late-night meeting between the president and Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, when Zardari assured him that the MQM’s genuine demands would be met. “The MQM has serious reservation over the restoration of the commissionerate system as well as the 1979 local body ordinance,” the party member said. “They want to continue with the 2001 system with an amendment to it. The president has directed the chief minister to take [the coalition partner] into confidence over legislation and other policy issues.”

with additonal input by salman siddiqui

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2010.