KARACHI, Oct 22: The Pakistan Muslim League(Q) leader, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who met Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders here on Tuesday and reported convergence of views on various matters, but said despite ideological difference with the PPP, he was not averse to collaboration in the formation of a government in the national interest.
He was talking to newsmen after his 90-minute meeting with the Muttahida leaders at Nine-Zero.
The PML(Q) leader, who flew into Karachi earlier in the morning, drove straight from the airport to Azizabad in a fleet of vehicles in a bid to muster Muttahida’s support in the formation of government, both at the centre and in Sindh. He was accompanied by former Sindh chief minister Liaqut Jatoi, Ghous Bux Mehar and Abdus Sattar Laleka.
The Muttahida side included deputy conveners of the coordination committee, Aftab Shaikh, Nasreen Jaleel, Shaikh Liaqut Hussain and Dr Farooq Sattar.
Commenting on the talks, deputy convener Aftab Shaikh, told newsmen that the meeting covered various aspects of the government formation.
“We discussed various issues in their context and placed before them our concerns and reservations, in view of our past experience,” Mr Aftab said.
He claimed that generally the direction of the talks was right, as both sides presented their points of view with an open mind.
Aftab Shaikh said the Muttahida’s coordination committee would take a decision in the light of its similar talks with other parties and opinion expressed by the people.
The MQM was coalition partner with both PML and the PPP since 1988. But each time it parted ways after developing differences. During the two stints, with Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif, it accused the major partners of extra-judicial killings and operation in June 1992 which fragmented the party into two. The major coalition partners also had grievance that despite being part of the coalition they (Muttahida) undermined its stability and its activists were allegedly involved. The charge has been vehemently rejected by the MQM.
Today’s meeting and the earlier one between PPP and the MQM, was aimed at burying the hatchet and make a fresh start.
Aftab Shaikh pointed out that both the MQM and PML(Q) agreed that a decision should be based on the interest of Pakistan and Sindh.
Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that the MQM had expressed its concerns and reservations in the light of its past experiences and his side succeeded in allaying some of their misgivings.
Asked about his party’s stand on Muttahida’s demand for eliminating the so-called “no-go” areas, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that past practices must be stopped and fresh beginning be made by all.
Replying to a question about MQM’s stance on provincial autonomy, Chaudhry Shujaat said he favoured provincial autonomy to remove sense of deprivation.
He said his party’s government would devolve authority to the provinces and through them to districts to remove distortions.
He was satisfied with the outcome of talks at Nine-Zero and said that who so ever enjoyed majority should have the right to form government both at the Centre and in the provinces.
He said it was his party’s desire to form government with the National Alliance and other good people. The decision will be with consensus.
Asked about the proposition of national government floated by People’s Party Parliamentarians, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Chaudhry Shujaat said that PML(Q) was in a position to form a government even without the PPP, but taking the national interest into account, if all the other parties joined hands, the PML (Q) would respect the people’s mandate.
Asked about his meetings with Amin Fahim and his proposals for the formation of a government of national consensus and unity, Chaudhry Shujaat said: “Talks are continuing on these options but we have out our own perception and also have the necessary numerical advantage to form our own government.”
When a correspondent asked about the chances of success of his talks with the PPP with whom ideological differences persist, Chaudhry Shujaat said: “Despite ideological differences, whatever is in the national interest will be done.” He added that talks with MMA were also held on the same basis.
He did not agree with a questioner that his talks with Amin Fahim were not aimed at soliciting PPP’s support but to create a cleavage between Makhdoom and rest of the PPP.
KARACHI, Oct 22: The Pakistan Muslim League(Q) leader, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, who met Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders here on Tuesday and reported convergence of views on various matters, but said despite ideological difference with the PPP, he was not averse to collaboration in the formation of a government in the national interest.
