April 03, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 25, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 2: The Pakistan Muslim League-N said on Wednesday that although it had some reservations about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), it would have no objection to the party joining the federal cabinet.

Talking to Dawn by telephone from Multan, senior PML-N member Makhdoom Javed Hashmi said there was need for continuing the process of national reconciliation and there was no harm if political parties established contacts with each other.

Commenting on Wednesday night’s visit of the PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to the MQM’s head office Nine Zero in Karachi, Mr Hashmi said the PML-N had no objection to the PPP move for cooperation with the MQM, but it should be based on some principles.

“We have nothing against (such) visits and contacts, but some principles have to be agreed first,” he said.

Mr Hashmi said that before seeking cooperation with any party, there was a need to assess its commitment to the restoration of deposed judges, independence of judiciary and supremacy of the Constitution.

“As a student of politics, I believe that walls should not be raised between political parties,” he said, adding that all political parties must present themselves before the people for accountability.

“After all, every party has to be accountable to the people – whether it is linked to the Nine Zero, Zardari House or Model Town,” he added.

Mr Hashmi said he believed that his party would have no objection if the MQM joined the coalition.

Replying to a question, he said the PML-N would continue to demand an inquiry into the May 12 incident in which over 40 political workers had been killed.

When his attention was drawn to a statement of MQM chief Altaf Hussain that besides the May 12 incident, inquiry should also be held into the military operation carried out in Karachi in 1992, Mr Hashmi said that the MQM chief had himself stated that Mr Nawaz Sharif was not responsible for the military operation.