Deadlock persists over core issues between PPP, MQM-P

KARACHI: The latest round of talks between the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) remained inconclusive as deadlock persisted on the core issues, citing sources, ARY News reported on Monday.

Sources said that the recent meeting between MQM-P and PPP at Bilawal House Karachi remained inconclusive. Moreover, the MQM-P leadership set a condition to contest the local government (LG) polls with new delimitations.

The MQM-P delegation expressed serious reservations about the present delimitations. They said that MQM-P will unveil its next strategy if LG polls are held on the basis of the present delimitations.

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Sources added that the MQM-P delegation reached Sindh Governor’s House again after holding a meeting with PPP top leadership at Bilawal House.

An important meeting will be held between MQM-P leaders and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori. Sources said that MQM-P and PPP are likely to hold another consultative session in a few days.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) held a key session to mull over Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) reservations on the Sindh government following non-fulfilment of its demands including changes in the delimitations.

PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari chaired the key session of the Sindh government representatives at Bilawal House Karachi. The session is being attended by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and provincial ministers Nasir Hussain Shah, Sharjeel Memon, Murtaza Wahab and others.

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The chief minister apprised Zardari regarding the government’s stance on the delimitation. The PPP ministers said that the government wrote letters to the Election Commission of Pakistan at the request of MQM-P but they are clueless about tabling a reason before the ECP for stopping the upcoming local government (LG) polls.

The PPP Sindh leadership apprised Zardari regarding the demands of the MQM-P.

MQM-P sources said that they will not let any political party occupy urban Sindh. They raised objections to voting amongst 100,000 in each constituency of the urban area, whereas, the formation of a union council (UC) on the basis of only 29,000 voters in the areas having Sindhi majority population.

The delegation aimed to let PPP implement its political agreement, otherwise, MQM-P will excuse from carrying on the agreements too. Moreover, the MQM-P delegation will also seek clarification on the statement of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, sources added.

However, the recent meeting remained inconclusive.