May 30, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 13, 1428

ISLAMABAD, May 29: The Parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the National Assembly, Dr Farooq Sattar, said on Tuesday that his party would fully cooperate with the Sindh High Court (SHC) in its inquiry into the killing of over 40 people in Karachi on May 12, adding it was exactly what the party had been demanding.

Dr Sattar said the MQM supported the inquiry because it wanted to clear itself of the allegation of being responsible for the tragedy.

Mr Sattar said that Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad was also considering to initiate an inquiry into the matter.

He said the governor wanted to appoint members of the inquiry committee in consultation with opposition parties. He said the MQM was capable of getting out of the crisis caused by the May 12 incident. He said the MQM would present facts to the masses.

He said the party had already started contacting masses on the issue with a renewed resolve that it would not let Karachi go down on the list of the World Economic Forum and World Bank which had rated Karachi as one of the 12 fastest growing and investor-friendly cities.

Replying to a question, Dr Sattar said the party had not received any reply from President Gen Pervez Musharraf on the question of what he called mysterious absence of police and Rangers from `trouble spots’ in Karachi on May 12.

He said that MQM leaders, in their last meeting with Gen Musharraf in Karachi, had raised the issue of the absence of law-enforcement personnel, but he (Gen Musharraf) very `tactfully’ evaded the matter.

In response to another question, the MQM leader said that the party had put three options before its workers regarding quitting the ruling coalition and they would try to use the time available before the federal budget to seek workers’ opinion.

Mr Sattar said that not only Gen Musharraf but the entire coalition was facing a serious challenge, and the government was trying to resolve the crisis.