June 01, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 26, 1429

KARACHI, May 31: After a series of backdoor contacts and intervention of what the two parties called ‘mutual friends’, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Awami National Party held on Saturday their first public meeting since the May 12 tragedy and agreed to reach reconciliation through holding more meetings.

A four-member delegation of the MQM comprising Dr Farooq Sattar, Babar Ghauri, Shoaib Bukhari and Waseem Aftab called on ANP chief Asfandyar Wali, who was on a visit to the city, and discussed with him issues relating to improving ties between the two parties.

During the meeting, MQM chief Altaf Hussain also contacted Asfandyar Wali Khan on phone and expressed his sorrow over the May 12 events, which he termed a conspiracy aimed at creating differences among the likeminded forces. Later, Dr Sattar and Asfandyar Wali held a joint press conference at the residence of Sindh ANP chief Shahi Syed.

The ANP chief, however, made it clear that more meetings would be held between the two parties as one meeting was not enough to allay all misunderstandings.

He said both parties were in agreement on a demand that a free and impartial investigation of the May 12 mayhem should be conducted.

“Both parties will ensure punishment to those involved in the terrorist incidents.”

He said that Karachi was the city of every Pakistani.

“We held peace talks in Swat and Dir and if we do not negotiate in Karachi then it would leave the reconciliation process incomplete,” he said.

Terming the ANP its natural ally, Dr Sattar said that since 1986 both parties remained in contact with each other and had played their positive role but distances had been created between the two parties after May 12, 2007 as a result of a conspiracy hatched by those who did not like peace in the metropolis.

Babar Ghauri said that the MQM supported renaming the NWFP province as Pakhtoon-khwa.