ISLAMABAD: After support from parliamentary parties across the board helped Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif survive the onslaught of the protesting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief on Tuesday intervened to keep this much-needed support base intact.

Playing the role of a peacemaker between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which are once again at each other’s throats, he called for a ‘ceasefire’ between the two sides.

The PM went into a huddle with MQM lawmakers in his chamber at Parliament House on Tuesday and advised them to resolve their differences with the PPP through dialogue. He warned that a confrontation between the two parties would only encourage anti-democracy forces.

Following the controversial statement made by Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah regarding the word ‘muhajir’ (migrant), the MQM quit the Sindh government and also questioned the role of Mr Shah as opposition leader.

Tells Muttahida lawmakers to resolve issues through dialogue

After the PPP, with 46 MNAs and the PTI with 33, the MQM is the third largest party on the opposition benches in the National Assembly with 24 legislators.

So far, none of the parties in the two houses of parliament has extended support to Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri in their call for protests against the government. “With this latest round of PPP-MQM on-again-off-again relationship, the two parties seem to have taken extreme positions against each other on the issue of new provinces in Sindh. The prime minister is worried because this situation can lead to further polarisation which our party cannot afford at the moment,” said a PML-N office-bearer close to the top leadership.

Although no political party sitting in the National Assembly and the Senate appears inclined towards the PTI’s stance, a confrontation of this level can always yield surprises. The PM thought it prudent to have a word with the MQM leaders, he added.

The PPP, the ruling party member explained, was playing down the incident as the leader of the opposition had offered an unconditional apology for the misunderstanding caused by his statement.

Sources privy to the meeting told Dawn Nawaz Sharif supported MQM’s call for creating more administrative units in Sindh. In the Punjab Assembly during its last term in office, the PML-N had moved and supported a resolution to have a similar arrangement for better administration in the province.

“There is nothing wrong with your demand to have more administrative units in Sindh, but it should be pursued through proper forums – parliament and the Sindh Assembly – not by indulging in confrontation,” the prime minister is quoted as having told the MQM delegation during the sitting.

When asked if Mr Sharif had invited the MQM to join the federal government as he was considering a cabinet expansion, a senior government functionary said that as of now, the PML-N has no such plans and the meeting focused exclusively on addressing the MQM’s reservations against its former ally in Sindh.

During the meeting, the functionary said, the PM told MQM leaders of his government’s seriousness to complete long-pending projects such as the Karachi circular railway, the Lyari expressway, ensuring the supply of potable water, overhauling of sewerage lines, etc. Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal was asked to coordinate with the MQM to provide much-needed impetus to Karachi-specific development projects. The MQM delegation, in response, assured the prime minister that they would seriously consider his suggestions to defuse the standoff with the PPP.

A press statement issued after the meeting quoted Mr Sharif as saying: “A difference of opinion is the beauty of democracy and should aim at the country’s development and people’s betterment. Our constitution provides ample space for debate to all democratic forces in the country.”

The MQM delegation was led by Dr Farooq Sattar. Other members were Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Abdul Rashid Godil and Nasreen Jalil.

Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq and the PM’s Political Secretary Asif Kirmani also attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, October 29th , 2014