ISLAMABAD: At a meeting held at the Presidency on Thursday, President Asif Ali Zardari and other PPP leaders and a 21-member delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement finalised arrangements for an important meeting between the two parties to be held in Dubai on Friday.

The MQM delegation led by Dr Farooq Sattar also raised other issues related to Sindh, including the National Finance Commission (NFC) award, development of Hyderabad, ineffectiveness of NIPA and police, judicial and social reforms.

An MQM team will arrive in Dubai from London on Friday to meet PPP leaders, including Interior Minister Rehman Malik.

Mr Sattar said the issue of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was not discussed at the meeting, except a remark made by the president that he respected MQM’s point of view on the ordinance.

The issue of local government system was also discussed and the MQM demanded that it should continue and polls should be held on schedule.

About the meeting in Dubai, he said the two parties would thoroughly discuss matters of common interest.

Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said the meeting focussed on the political situation and issues relating to economy, constitutional reforms, provincial autonomy, NFC award, employment generation and the NRO came under discussion.