PPP contacts MQM-P, requests calling off Karachi sit-in

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has contacted the leadership of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and requested to call off its Karachi sit-in scheduled for February 12, ARY News reported on Friday.

Sources told ARY News that PPP leaders have asked the MQM-P to postpone its Karachi sit-in. Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori facilitated the contact between PPP and MQM-P.

It was learnt that PPP’s Nasir Hussain Shah contacted the MQM-P leaders and both political parties held a meeting at Sindh Governor’s House today.

The meeting was attended by the central leaders of both parties including Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Mustafa Kamal, Farooq Sattar, Faisal Sabzwari, Nasir Hussain Shah, Murtaza Wahab and others in the presence of Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori.

The ruling PPP formally requested MQM-P to call off the sit-in.

They held discussions on increasing 53 union councils (UCs) in Karachi and MQM-P’s reservations on including rural areas of Hyderabad in the urban areas.

The PPP leaders sought time from MQM-P leaders till Saturday for holding consultations with the top leadership.

Sources said that MQM-P did not call off its Karachi sit-in. It was learnt that progress is expected to be made on talks between the PPP and MQM-P.

Earlier on Sunday, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) announced to stage sit-in in Karachi and gave a one-week ultimatum to the Sindh government.

READ: MQM-P COMPLETES PREPARATIONS FOR KARACHI SIT-IN

While addressing General Workers’ session, MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had announced a sit-in on February 12 against the ‘controversial’ local government (LG) polls, ‘flawed’ delimitations and voter lists while giving a one-week ultimatum to the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) led Sindh government.

Siddiqui said that the Sindh government admitted its mistakes in the delimitations and later withdrew the notification.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui gave a one-week ultimatum to PPP and said that the MQM-P workers will gather at Fawara Chowk and operate all offices and departments from the venue.

He further said that the youth of Karachi have to take control of the city, as the authorities are failed to control the street crimes in the metropolis.