Deadlock persists as PTI delegation meets MQM-P leaders to assuage reservations

KARACHI: A delegation led by Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Reforms Asad Umar held a meeting with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders at the party’s temporary headquarters in Bahadurabad to assuage their reservations.

The meeting comes a day after MQM-P convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui announced his resignation as Federal Minister for Information Technology.

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi and MPA Khurram Sher Zaman were part of the government delegation. Whereas the MQM-P delegation included Siddiqui, Amir Khan, Kanwar Naved Jamil, Khawaja Izharul Hassan, and Aminul Haque.

Speaking at a post-meeting press conference, convener Siddiqui downplayed today’s talks saying it was a scheduled meeting. He reiterated his party would continue with its cooperation with the PTI government.

Asad Umar said Khalid Maqbool didn’t retract his decision to quit the federal cabinet.

He said they apprised the MQM-P leadership of progress on the ongoing federal government-funded schemes in Karachi.

He acknowledged that there remain certain issues that warrant attention, adding the people of Karachi have been denied their due rights for decades.

Asad Umar said the issues would be sorted out during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Karachi visit in the first week of next month.

He said the federal government wished to work with the Sindh government for development of the metropolis.