.:: SAMAA - PPP, MQM return to talks

Staff Report

LONDON: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have agreed to resolve mutual misunderstandings through negotiations. This agreement was reached during a meeting of Interior Minister Rehman Malik and MQM leader Altaf Hussain in London.

According to a statement issued from MQM's London Secretariat, Interior Minister Rehman Malik conveyed messages from President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during the meeting in London. The two leaders agreed to resolve any misunderstandings through negotiations.

According to the statement, Rehman Malik appreciated Altaf Hussain's statement in which he welcomed President's Zardari statement.

Earlier, Rehman Malik also met members of MQM Rabta Committee, including Mohammad Anwar, Saleem Shehzad Tariq Javed, Anis Advocate, Asif Siddique, and Mustafa Azizabadi. The meeting decided to continue regular consultations between leadership of the two parties to avoid mutual differences.

PPP BLAMES MQM FOR MAY 12

Earlier, Pakistan People's Party alleged that its coalition partner in the government, Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was responsible for closing the roads on May 12, 2007 to stop the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry from coming to Karachi, said the Sindh Interior Minister Zulifqar Mirza to the media Thursday.

He said that he appeals to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take suo moto notice and ask the government to provide the record of NRO beneficiaries.

"The cases have been ended by illegal means in Sindh. The Sindh government should expose all cases which were ended by fraud," he said.

He said that the MQM claims that there are no corruption against its leaders. "It must explain why the National Accountabiliy Bureau arrested Farooq Sattar then."

He said that the PPP had adopted the policy of reconciliation in the country with all political parties but some people want to remain a part of the non-democratic forces. "We faced severe criticism from the people of Sindh for adopting the policy of reconciliation in the province."

PPP NEEDS TO SOLVE PEOPLES' PROBLEMS THEN TO BLAME MQM

Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Saleem Shahzad said that PPP should not blame MQM but it needs to focus on solving peoples' problems. We need to remove our differences and to serve the nation then fighting with each other. The comments of Zulfiqar Mirza doesn’t indicate to party policy of Pakistan People's Party. The cases came to an end against MQM on the basis of NRO. We are prepared to face our cases in the courts once again. MQM stance to oppose to NRO can be the reason for the rift between the two parties. The incidents of May 12, 2007 were part of conspiracy against MQM, he added.

He said that there are few elements in the country which want to create rift between PPP and MQM. We want to remain coalition partners with PPP. MQM wants to strengthen the government. The government is strong and there is no threat to the government. The rift between PPP and MQM can come to an end with the intervention of the party leaders of both parties, he added.

PPP CONTACTS SINDH NATIONALIST PARTIES\

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has started contacting nationalists parties of Sindh after the ruling party's relations with their ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) seemed to be getting tense.

According to sources, Interior Minister Sindh Dr Zulfiqar Mirza has contacted Chairman Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mohaz Basheer Qureshi whereas Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah has asked the party leaders to take nationalist parties into confidence to deal with any upcoming situation. Senior leader of PPP Taj Hieder has also said that all the recommendations of Sindh's nationalist parties will be considered.

The sources said that PPP is preparing a new strategy to deal with any situation caused by sudden decisions of its allies.

Furthermore, Sindh government has also demanded Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chauhdry to take notice of the cases against MQM. The Sindh home minister urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the cases closed under the NRO in Sindh and order their investigation. He said all cases should be reopened. He said on the wishes of Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, Karachi was blocked on May 12 to prevent Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry from coming here. He alleged killings took place on that day under “official patronage”.

According to the MQM, their relations with PPP started getting tense after it took a principal stand and rejected the NRO.

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said the provincial government had taken strong notice to switching off the street lights during the video speech of President Asif Zardari to the party’s 43rd foundation rally near the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah on Wednesday evening. SAMAA