KARACHI: Former coalition partners in Sindh and at the centre, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) are likely to forge yet another alliance as the former’s ministers reportedly would take oath in the next couple of days, sources told Dawn.com on Monday.

The sources in the Sindh government said that four provincial ministers and two advisors are likely to take oath very soon.

Speaking to Dawn.com, MQM’s Rabita Committee member Aminul Haq confirmed that talks between the two parties are ongoing. However, he avoided commenting on the likely oath taking ceremony at the Sindh Assembly.

When contacted, PPP’s Karachi chapter president Abdul Qadir Patel said that all decision of the party leadership will be accepted on the matter. He said he was aware of the development showing optimism on likelihood of MQM joining the Sindh government.

The last month’s meeting between former president Asif Ali Zardari and Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan and some MQM leaders triggered speculation of a possible MQM-PPP alliance in Sindh. Later, a statement of Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon in which he hinted that the PPP was ready to embrace the MQM strengthened the rumours that both parties were making headway in their talks.

However, when the two parties were discussing modalities for their future partnership, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Syed Khurshid Shah of the PPP reacted strongly to a statement by MQM chief Altaf Hussain in which he had asked the armed forces to ignore any order of sending troops to Syria.

He had said that PPP was a democratic party and it would be a difficult decision for its leadership to include MQM in the government until Mr Hussain takes his words back about inviting army's interference in politics.