July 25 polls paved way for PTI and MQM to work together, says Khalid Maqbool
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Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Pakistan Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Tuesday stressed the need of working together with the PTI government for the better interest of Karachi and its people.
Addressing a joint press conference along with PTI’s candidate for president Dr Arif Alvi, Siddiqui said the outcome of July 25 general elections provided an opportunity for PTI and MQM to work together.
“We have signed an agreement with PTI which mentions our vision to improve the living conditions of people in Sindh, specifically its urban areas,” the MQM leader said.
Alvi, accompanied by Karachi based leaders of his party, visited the MQM offices in Bahadurabad and sought the support of MQM-P's parliamentarians for his candidacy. Siddiqui thanked Alvi for visiting MQM-P office and said his party will continue to extend its support for the PTI.
Talking to media persons, Alvi said the role played by people of Karachi in getting Imran Khan elected as the prime minister reflects their political maturity.
He said Karachiites, despite all political differences and party preferences amongst themselves, have always stood by the cause of democracy and would continue to safeguard the democratic norms.
The PTI leader's visit to Bahadurabad comes after the PTI confirmed his nomination for the post of president. The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced that the presidential election will be held on September 4 — five days before the expiry of the five-year term of President Mamnoon Hussain.
The MQM-P has won six National Assembly seats — four in Karachi and two in Hyderabad — in the July 25 elections compared to its 24 NA seats in 2013.
With just six seats, the MQM-P has become an important factor in national politics. The party extended support to the PTI for the formation of the incumbent federal government.
Strongly asserting that the party had "gone through so many [unpleasant] experiences in the past" with the PPP government in Sindh, Siddiqui had said that it was not conscionable for MQM to join the PPP in opposing the formation of a PTI-led government "given the current situation in Sindh".
