MQM-P ‘threatens to quit coalition govt’ over Karachi, Hyderabad delimitation issue

• MQM-P demands fresh delimitation ahead of local body polls in Karachi and Hyderabad.
• Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui urges PM Shehbaz to fulfil his promises. 
• Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori stresses need for unity among the factions of MQM. 

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), an ally of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), on Sunday threatened to quit the ruling coalition government in the Centre and kick off protests if "fresh delimitation" of constituencies for local body polls is not conducted in Karachi and Hyderabad ahead to January 15.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had announced that local government (LG) elections would take place on January 15 in Karachi and Hyderabad.

The MQM-P Rabita Committee meeting, headed by its convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, decided to adopt a strict stance over the delimitation issue and a non-serious attitude of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in Sindh. The meeting also deliberated on various steps including protests and conveying its grievances to the federal government.

Addressing a press conference following the Rabita Committee huddle, the MQM-P convener urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to fulfil his promises made with the party.

“We will be compelled to hold the protest if our grievances are not redressed,” he announced.

“In agreement with the PPP, our key point was fair delimitation of constituencies for the LG polls,” Siddiqui said. Terming the prevailing delimitation of the constituencies inappropriate, the MQM-P leader said that pre-poll rigging was evident from it.

In this situation, he said, the party has to decide whether they should go to polls in alliance with the coalition parties or contest independently.  

‘Tried to unite all friends in Karachi’

In a separate statement, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori said that he is trying to unite all the factions of the MQM.

Stressing the need for unity, Tessori said that everyone needs to fix his intentions.

Political parties vanish when disunity emerged in their ranks, he warned.

The Sindh governor also said that he has asked the PPP to fulfil its promises made with the MQM-P. He added that the MQM-P would be free to decide if the PPP did not keep its promises.