MQM-P mulls quitting ruling coalition over ‘stalled political deal’

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has started mulling to quit the ruling coalition following no progress on agreement with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and on amendments to the local body’s bill, ARY News reported on Saturday, citing sources.

According to details, MQM-P has expressed concern over ‘zero progress’ on the implementation of an agreement with PPP and amendments to the local body’s bill.

Sources told ARY News that MQM-P and PPP leadership had agreed on amendments to the local body’s bill during a meeting held two days earlier. Later, a review was held yesterday but no further progress was made, they added.

While expressing concerns over the delay in the implementation of the agreement, MQM-P has started mulling to quit ruling coalition including other options.

In this regard, Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has directed all senators, ministers and Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) to reach Karachi on an urgent basis.

Earlier in July, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) conveyed reservations to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over lack of implementation of an agreement by PPP which was agreed with the party before joining the federal government.

According to sources privy to the matter, the MQM-P leaders held two meetings with PM Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad few days back and complained to him that the PPP was not implementing an agreement signed with the party and asked him to play his role as a guarantor.

It is pertinent to mention here that a 18-point agreement was reached between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) before the quit the Imran Khan-led coalition government and it was named as the “Charter of Rights”.

The agreement was signed by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and MQM-P’s Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, while Shehbaz Sharif, Fazlur Rehman, Akhtar Mengal and Khalid Magsi have signed the agreement as guarantor.