Federal govt disappointed Karachiites: Khalid Maqbool

KARACHI: Deputy Convener of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, while addressing a press conference, said that the federal government has disappointed the citizens of Karachi by canceling the invitation extended to the MQM earlier, Geo News reported.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui was addressing a press conference here at the Karachi Press Club after the government decided not to include MQM in the cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss security situation in Karachi.

He said that the provincial government has failed in controlling the volatile situation in Karachi, and after calling off MQM’s participation from cabinet meeting and All Parties Conference, the federal government has disappointed the citizens. The government has missed a golden opportunity that could have earned them the trust of the people, he said.

Khalid Maqbool said that may be the prime minister succumbed to some kind of pressure and excluded the MQM from the session.

He continued saying that peace cannot be maintained by bulldozing people’s mandate, and that by neglecting the opinion of Karachiites, every effort will be futile to maintain peace.

The deputy convener said that the MQM holds 85 % mandate of Karachi and the party has always played a positive role during crises.

The government today withdrew the invitation sent to the MQM to join the federal cabinet to discuss Karachi’s law and order situation on Wednesday.

The government had earlier invited MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar to attend the session followed by the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The cabinet members wanted to hear the stance of the MQM seeking the deployment of army in Karachi.