25 February 2005	Friday	15 Muharram 1426

KARACHI, Feb 24: Commenting on the situation emerging out of the sacking of provincial revenue minister Imtiaz Shaikh, parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in the National Assembly Dr Farooq Sattar said that such an action was the right of a political party , and hoped that the PML would be able to resolve the issue.

He was responding to reporters' questions after addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday. Asked about the MQM's stand in the row between Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim and ex-revenue minister Imtiaz Shaikh, and its impact on the Sindh coalition, Dr Farooq Sattar said that his party's arrangement was neither with Dr Arbab nor with Mr Shaikh. "It is an arrangement with the PML; whatever may be someone's opinion, we follow that arrangement."

He avoided taking sides when he was repeatedly asked about any moral ground for either the chief minister or Mr Shaikh to hold their respective positions. "It is the matter concerning the PML which has to resolve it, sooner the better."

He nevertheless indicated that if any assistance from the MQM was sought, it would be ready to play that role. The PML itself should resolve this matter through its own organizational mechanism first, he added.

When asked to comment on the specific charges and the commission of inquiry, Dr Sattar said he would not like to make any observations at this stage because that would prejudice the process. He also parried comment on Gen Pervez Musharraf's comment, apparently slanted in favour of the chief minister.

Dr Farooq Sattar told a questioner that possibility of governor's rule had been raised by the press only. "I would not comment on it because it might be interpreted wrongly," he remarked.

RELIEF FUND: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has mobilized a Rs20 million relief package for the victims of heavy rains and snowfall in Balochistan, NWFP and Azad Kashmir. This was stated by Dr Farooq Sattar at a news conference at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday. He said that the party had constituted four teams which would distribute the relief goods among the victims.

Dr Farooq Sattar said that first team would leave for Balochistan this week and distribute cash and relief goods among the affected people in the worst-hit areas of Quetta, Pishin, Qila Abdullah, etc.; the second team would undertake the operation in Swabi, Laki Marwat and Swat; the third team was destined for Pasni for relief work in coastal areas of Balochistan; and the fourth one would be going to Muzaffarabad to distribute relief goods the affected areas of Azad Kashmir.

The MQM leader said that on the directives of the party chief, Altaf Hussain, the Kidmat-i-Khalq Foundation had collected voluntary donations from party members and supporters.