KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) has threatened the coalition government that it would be compelled to ‘take its own decisions’ if the Pakistan People Party(PPP) would not keep its promises made to them ahead of joining the Shehbaz Sharif government.
In a presser in Karachi, MQM-P leader and former Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar said that MQM-P accepted two ministries at the insistence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Akhtar added that MQM-P has clarified to the premier that it would not go with the government if Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) did not implement the agreement in true letter and spirit and would put its case before the party’s Rabta (Coordination) Committee.
He lamented that there was no progress on agreement with PPP and that the prime minister should form a committee to look into the matter. “If progress is not being made on the agreement then we will be forced to decide our future with this government,” he warned.
He blamed that urban centers are deliberately mixed with rural areas to damage the political stake of MQM-P.
“I want to tell Asif Zardari that this is not democracy. There should not be such delimitations that are aimed at damaging MQM-P,” he said and added that Karachi was already counted as half in the population census.
He said that the MQM-P finalized agreements in the Centre and province before joining the government. We have joined federal government but will only join the provincial government until the local government Act is being transformed as per the directives of the Supreme Court,” he said.
He reminded the coalition government that it was standing owing to the votes of MQM-P. “They are prime minister, chief minister, and ministers due to MQM-P,” he said and warned that if the party’s concerns are not addressed, the coordination committee could take a decision to quit the coalition government.
He said that the premier has promised them that he would ensure PPP carries through.
Akhtar said that the people would not embrace the defeat of MQM through gerrymandering. He added that the people of Karachi would not accept forged census results.
