PTI-MQM negotiations: Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui says 'visible progress' expected in few days

KARACHI: Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Dr Kahlid Maqbool Siddiqui said Saturday that "visible progress" was expected to take place in the next few days, as a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) delegation held talks to appease its disgruntled ally.

Speaking to media after the meeting between the PTI-MQM-P delegations concluded, Siddiqui said his party had highlighted the problems facing Sindh's urban areas and Karachi.

"The PTI knew about these problems before we joined hands to form the federal government," he said, saying that the MQM-P had given the ruling party "unconditional support" during the its time of need.

The MQM-P convener said talks held with the PTI delegation were "encouraging" and the demands put forward by his party were for the welfare of the people of Karachi and Sindh. He said these demands were not meant to benefit any individual or political party but the people in general.

"The PTI is a witness to the demands we put forward before them and even you [reporters] may have the main points [of the demands] in your hands," he said.

Siddiqui said that the 18th Amendment had been misused in the past and that power had yet to be devolved to the lower level. He said Sindh's urban areas "are in the Intensive Care Unit" and those areas of the country should be taken care of by the government whose shopkeepers, traders and industrialists were "fulfilling their responsibilities" and generating revenue.

"Sindh's urban areas need immediate relief," he said. 

PTI-MQM to hold another round of talks in Islamabad: Khattak

Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said the PTI "did not have a magic wand" at its disposal and that some demands put forward by the MQM-P will take time to be implemented.

"We have invited them [MQM-P] to return to the federal cabinet. They are with us but MQM-P has to decide for themselves," he said. Khattak said talks with the MQM-P had been held in a cordial atmosphere. He said "whatever is lacking will be compensated later", referring to the demands of the party. 

The PTI leader said there was talk of the MQM-P withdrawing support for the government when that was not the case. He said that the party had left the federal cabinet but was still supporting the PTI government.

"The MQM-P was with the government in the beginning. The party will continue to support us till the end," he said. 

Khattak said when the PTI had taken hold of the country's reins in 2018, Pakistan was faced with numerous challenges. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan will lead the country out of the economic crisis it was in at the moment and take Pakistan forward. 

A PTI delegation arrived at the MQM-P headquarters in Bahadurabad as the government continues its efforts to persuade its disgruntled ally to return to the federal cabinet. 

The PTI delegation comprised Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Asad Umar, and Jahangir Tareen. The government’s allies — the MQM-P, the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M), the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) have expressed reservations with the government over the past few weeks.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui resigns from federal ministry

Read more: MQM-P's Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui says he is quitting federal cabinet over 'unfulfilled promises'

Siddiqui resigned from the cabinet last week. "We had promised the government to help with the formation of the government and we held our end of the deal. However, none of the promises made to us have seen any progress,” he had said in a press conference after announcing his resignation.

Read more: Is the PTI government going through 'aftershocks' of the Azadi March?

The PML-Q — another important ally of the government — held talks with a PTI delegation a few days ago, giving them a week’s deadline to fulfill two important demands. PML-Q leader Kamil Ali Agha confirmed that the party had asked the government to let it run its ministries in the Punjab government without interference. The PML-Q has also asked the government to release development funds for its ministers.

Agha had said his party will decide what to do in case the PTI does not comply with the two demands within one week. He said it was a “relevant question” as to what the PML-Q will do.