Karachi violence: PPP-MQM talks -- moving one step forward, two back
our correspondentISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement is unlikely to rush back in the federal and Sindh cabinets as quickly as the government expects, a senior official source thinks."However,...
September 08, 2011
ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is unlikely to rush back in the federal and Sindh cabinets as quickly as the government expects, a senior official source thinks.
"However, it is clear from the ongoing negotiations between the representatives of the government and MQM that official efforts to bring back the MQM are totally unaffected by the blistering campaign launched by former Sindh minister and senior ruling party leader Dr Zulfiqar Mirza," the source, having access to President Zardari, told The News on condition of anonymity.
He said the continuing dialogue showed that the government was determined to persuade the MQM into rejoining the federal and provincial cabinets as part of its reconciliation policy. The source stressed that the dialogue process was underway with full speed despite the fact that Dr Mirza was carrying out his campaign against any rapprochement between the government and the MQM. "Angry individuals can't influence or change this policy," the source said adding that the PPP's ultimate aim was to restore peace and normalcy in Karachi. The parleys are a clear message to Dr Mirza that the government is undeterred by his opposition.
He said that the government hoped that the MQM would not spend so much time that it was now consuming to rejoin the federal and provincial cabinets. However, at the same time, the source said, the MQM has not closed the doors to stage a comeback, which showed that it was willing to return but wanted to sort out certain contentious issues prior to this eventuality. He believed that the real bone of contention was the local bodies system that cracked the MQM-government relations. "Continuing talks would work out a mutually acceptable system."
The MQM stormed out of the government after the 2001 local government system was scrapped and the commissioners' system was introduced in Sindh. However, it was restored after a few weeks due to the MQM's intense protest.
The source pointed out that a committee formed by President Zardari, which was headed by Federal Minister Syed Khurshid Shah, has been given the mandate to accelerate the pace of concluding a deal with the MQM so that its nominees resumed their duties as federal and Sindh ministers. On the face of it, Interior Minister Rehman Malik has been dissociated from the process of repairing relations with the MQM. Chief legal guru of the president Babar Awan too does not have any say in this process. After Dr Mirza's harsh criticism of the interior minister, Malik has apparently been detached from talks with the MQM.
The source agreed that rejoining of the cabinets was also a difficult decision for the MQM to take because it has often faced criticism from its detractors for its policy towards the government.
He was hopeful that the government and the MQM would certainly succeed in mending their ties given the cordiality prevailing between the top leaderships of the two sides. While top presidential aides think the MQM is not returning to the cabinets very soon, a set of Sindh ministers continues to exude confidence the MQM would come back in a matter of days. "I can't give the time frame," the source said.
