After talks with govt, MQM agrees to review resignations: Fazl

Published August 24, 2015
Fazl said an MQM delegation had detailed its grievances in talks with the government, adding that the premier heard all their reservations and assured the party they will be dealt with swiftly. – DawnNews screengrab
Fazl said an MQM delegation had detailed its grievances in talks with the government, adding that the premier heard all their reservations and assured the party they will be dealt with swiftly. – DawnNews screengrab

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam - Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had agreed to review its decision to resign from Parliament after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said he will form a committee to address their grievances.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman was flanked by MQM leader Farooq Sattar, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Pervez Rashid and other senior government and MQM officials.

Fazl said an MQM delegation had detailed its grievances in talks with the government on Monday, adding that the premier heard all their reservations and assured the party they will be dealt with swiftly.

In this regard, Fazl announced the premier had ordered the formation of a grievances redressal committee tomorrow (Tuesday).

Read: MQM says no more talks, resignations final

The JUI-F chief said the MQM welcomed the prime minister's initiative, agreeing to reconsider its decision to resign from the National Assembly, Senate and the Sindh Assembly.

The committee, he said, will be mandated to record in detail the grievances presented by the MQM and will find ways in which these can be dealt with.

The Maulana said all further modalities will be finalised at the time of constitution of the committee, which will include lawmakers from the government and other political parties.

Responding to a question, Fazl said a time frame for the committee to finalise its conclusions will also be decided when the committee is constituted.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam - Fazl  (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and MQM leader Farooq Sattar -DawnNews screengrab
Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam - Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and MQM leader Farooq Sattar -DawnNews screengrab

MQM leader Farooq Sattar, talking to reporters on the occasion, said his party presented a 19-point agenda during talks, highlighting all the different ways MQM was being discriminated against in Karachi.

Sattar said the issue of illegal detention and extrajudicial killing of MQM workers, banning Altaf Hussain's speeches on air, and MQM's media trial were among the salient points raised by his party.

Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on the occasion said the PML-N government had patiently worked for political consensus in the country, citing the government's role in urging the JUI-F and the MQM to abandon deseating motions against the PTI.

Dar said the government wanted to ensure political stability in the country, which was a pre-requisite for economic stability. He emphasised that the Karachi operation would continue targeting criminal and militant elements, adding that MQM's concerns will be addressed by the grievances redressal committee.

Earlier today, a six-member delegation of the MQM called on Prime Minister Sharif at Prime Minister House.

The MQM delegation, comprising of Farooq Sattar, Barrister Ali Saif, Kanwar Naveed, Muhammad Rehan Hashmi, Waseem Akhtar and Shabbir Qaimi presented the party's point of view over the Karachi operation to the prime minister, which included the formation of a monitoring committee to oversee the operation.

Also read: MQM delegation calls on prime minister

Earlier in August, MQM lawmakers had simultaneously submitted their resignations in the National Assembly, Senate and the Sindh Assembly due to reservations over the Rangers-led operation in Karachi.

The MQM legislators had accused the law enforcement agencies of discriminatory action against MQM, forced disappearances and extra judicial killings.

In response, the government remained reluctant to accept the resignations and tasked JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman with the assignment of persuading MQM to withdraw the resignations.

Maulana visited the MQM headquarters last week but the mission remained inconclusive in the wake of an attempt on the life of Muttahida MNA Rashid Godil. However the two sides had agreed to put the talks on hold for a while and start the process again in a couple of days in Islamabad.

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