*****KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari has approved a coalition government with Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Sindh province, Pakistan People’s Party leader Naveed Qamar told Dawn.com on Tuesday.*****

Qamar said the president has felicitated all successful electoral candidates on winning election from their respective constituencies and directed them to strive hard for development of their areas. The president will monitor the progress himself, he said.

Earlier, a party meeting, headed by President Zardari, was held at Bilawal House in Karachi. Elected MNAs and MPAs of the PPP belonging to Sindh province were present in the meeting.

The newly elected members of the assemblies apprised the president about the situation arising after the May 11 polls. Formation of the provincial government in Sindh came under discussion in the meeting also.

Speaking to media representatives prior to the meeting, PPP’s senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah regretted the fact that he was a part of the team which was tasked to empower the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). “A record breaking rigging has been witnessed in elections under this election commission,” said Shah.

He vowed that the PPP will play a role of a powerful opposition both in Senate and the National Assembly.

Senator Raza Rabbani told the media that the party has been part of different governments in the past and understands the parliamentary matters very well. He said parties in the provincial governments might not get elected next time if they fail to deliver this time.

In an apparent reference to Yousuf Raza Gilani, Sherry Rehman, Aitzaz Ahsan and Mian Manzoor Wattoo, former chief minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah said the party leadership should face the music rather than resigning from their respective posts and going home. The PPP has faced even more adverse situations in the past, he added.

Makhdoom Amin Fahim said that they have accepted the poll results and vowed to respect the public mandate given to the party in Sindh.

68 MPAs and 29 elected MNAs belonging to the party participated in the meeting.

Asif Mehmood contributed to this report from Karachi