PPP offers higher education, industries ministries to MQM-P

KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has offered higher education and industries ministries to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) besides offering the political party to join the Sindh cabinet, citing sources, ARY News reported on Thursday.

A delegation of the ruling political party in Sindh, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), visited MQM-P Bahadurabad headquarters today. The PPP’s high-level delegation included provincial ministers Nasir Hussain Shah, Saeed Ghani and others.

MQM-P convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Amir Khan, Waseem Akhtar, Kanwar Naveed Jameel, Javed Hanif held the meeting with the PPP delegation and discussed the progress on the political agreement signed between the two parties.

Sources told ARY News that the PPP leaders conveyed a special message of Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to the MQM-P leadership.

A detailed discussion was held over the draft local government (LG) amendment act in today’s meeting.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan leaders demanded the ruling PPP expedite legislation on the local government (LG) law. Both political parties have decided to hold consultative sessions on a daily basis.

The PPP leaders urged MQM-P leadership to join the Sindh cabinet. The MQM-P conditionally agreed on joining the Sindh cabinet if the PPP-led government implements the amendments in the LG law and the political agreement as per MQM-P’s recommendations.

They offered the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan to assume two ministries including the higher education and industries, sources added.

It has been decided that an MQM-P delegation will meet PPP top leaders, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari, soon.

Sources said that the ruling PPP has shown agreement to grant municipal function to the councillors, whereas, the provincial government also okayed implementing the clause related to the Provincial Finance Commission (PFC).

Sources added that both political parties also mulled over granting the elected mayor powers of the municipal authorities.

The MQM-P and PPP leaders also deliberate on the objections related to the summary of the Sindh governorship for appointing Nasreen Jalil.