JUI-F chief is scheduled to arrive in Karachi to hold talks today
KARACHI: Efforts to bring estranged Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) back in the assemblies seems to have hit a snag as the party claims that the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is yet to contact them regarding the matter.
The JUI-F chief, who is scheduled to arrive in Karachi later in the day to hold talks with the MQM, was appointed as the unofficial negotiator between the government and the MQM after the party resigned from Parliament and the Sindh assembly last week, citing reservations over the ongoing Rangers operation in Karachi.
Taking to The Express Tribune, MQM leader Aminul Haq said the party has not received any information from Fazl regarding when and where the meeting would take place, adding that it seems that if a meeting is held between them, it would take place tomorrow (Tuesday).
There have also been reports that the JUI-F chief does not want to go to MQM headquarters Nine Zero for negotiations and is insisting on meeting at a neutral place, preferably the government’s guest house.
On the other hand, the MQM is insisting that Fazl come to Nine Zero for the meeting.
“It has been a tradition that all politicians come to Nine Zero to have discussions and dialogue with us. From Benazir Bhutto, who came to party headquarters in 1988 before taking oath as the prime minister to the time when Mamnoon Hussain came to Nine Zero after being designated the President,” said Haq.
Earlier on Saturday, the JUI-F chief spoke with MQM chief Altaf Hussain via telephone and assured him that all genuine grievances of the MQM would be addressed.
Source: tribune.com.pk
August 17, 2015 12:46 PM
Fazl Rehman may not be a good muslim or Islamic scholar but he is definitely a big politician based on Pakistani standards of politics. First, I think he was itching to travel to UK at the tax payers expense, but most likely UK visa was not arranged fast enough. Secondly, Altaf Hussain and MQM announced on their own that they are not serious about resigning from assemblies and senate, rather were just trying to pressure government. This put his bargaining chips with government at less importance, thus he may not be in a position to cash much from this saga. Additionally, tragic event of Rtd Col Shuja Khanzada may already put MQM on backfoot along with JUIF since JUIF support talibans. This whole scene may have made him think to delay resolution of this issue, so that both MQM and PMLN become nervous and he may gain more from it.
August 17, 2015 12:46 PM
Just look at their faces…
August 17, 2015 12:45 PM
Thank you Altaf for standing up to Punjabi chauvinism.
August 17, 2015 12:45 PM
MQM should stay strong, the last few months has galvanized the Mohajir vote bank in strong favor of the MQM at a level seen during the late 1980′s. If elections are to be held again, MQM will clean sweep Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, and Sukkur, all to the dismay of the punjabi Establishment.