PM Imran directs govt committee to meet MQM-P leadership

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed a government committee to meet the Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leadership to resolve their grievances after the Karachi-based party received an offer from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to join Sindh Government.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday offered the MQM-P an equal number of seats in Sindh Government on the condition that the party will leave the coalition government and help the PPP oust it from power.

Sources told Geo News a government committee headed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) former secretary general Jahangir Tareen will meet the MQM-P leadership this week on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan. It is still not clear who the members of the committee, which will be led by Tareen, are. 

The government will review the MQM-P's demands, hear its grievances on the issue of missing persons and take stock of the party's demands for Karachi's funds.

Ready to side with PPP if it improves local bodies system in Sindh: Khawaja Izhar

Speaking on Geo Pakistan, MQM-P leader Khawaja Izhar said his party was ready to accept Bilawal's offer and join forces with the PPP if it improved the local government system in Sindh. 

"Our hopes from the federal government are dying as they did not honour their promises," he said. 

In response to Bilawal's offer, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar, who is also an important leader of the MQM-P, had said the party will take the final decision on whether it should quit the coalition government or not.

He said while the MQM-P and the PPP could "sit together" to solve Karachi's problems, the mayor said his party had not joined the coalition government for seats but to resolve Karachi's outstanding issues.

“MQM-P has never indulged in the politics of ministries. We supported the PTI so that Karachi's issues could be resolved,” Akhtar had said.

He said the Karachi's problems were discussed with senior PTI leader Jahangir Tareen but the party did not take responsibility. 

The MQM-P also issued a statement on Monday, in which it said that while the party was not satisfied with the PTI-led government's performance, it will continue to support it. 

Related link:

Bilawal offers MQM-P provincial ministries 'if it helps topple PTI govt'