KARACHI, Nov 1: The Pakistan People’s Party has denied that its chairperson has said any thing that should have affected the coalition negotiations between it and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

“I have not received any letter or directives of the nature mentioned in some press reports. Nothing is on record of our information cell either,” Sindh PPP president Nisar Khuhro said, when contacted by Dawn in Islamabad.

“It seems that someone has played monkey with the PPP and the MQM by floating a statement attributed to Benazir Bhutto. It could be the work of those elements who play games to disrupt harmony through disinformation,” Mr Khuhro said amid attempts by both sides to salvage the situation.

He said that when the PPP delegation had visited Nine Zero, it was done in the best interest of the people of Sindh and it was the PPP’s intention to make a fresh beginning with the MQM. “We still hold that cherished objective very dear to us,” he emphasized.

Mr Khuhro did not contest MQM deputy convener Aftab Shaikh’s statement in which the latter had said that during the talks his party had never asked for any apology from Ms Bhutto.

Mr Shaikh said his party had emphasized that the PPP leadership should realize that it had committed excess.

Mr Khuhro regretted that the MQM coordination committee had reacted in such a manner while he was expecting them to reciprocate the PPP’s overtures. It was also surprising how the MQM coordination committee could issue such a critical statement without counter-checking it with the PPP, through back channels.

Besides, Mr Khuhro had a “chance meeting” with MQM’s Dr Farooq Sattar in Islamabad where he had gone to meet the Election Commission officials.

He did not spell out details of the conversation, but said it was focused on the latest controversy.

When Mr Shaikh’s attention was drawn to Mr Khuhro’s denial that Ms Bhutto had made any contentious statement, the MQM leader said then they should deny that.

Mr Shaikh said the reported statement gave the impression that an attempt was being made to create a permanent division and it appeared that they (PPP) had closed the door.

He said the MQM was not averse to negotiations with the PPP in the larger interest of people and said that Dr Imran Farooq’s statement provided the policy guideline.

Referring to overtures from Islamabad, he further stated that Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s Hafiz Hussain Ahmed was likely to come to Nine Zero on Saturday. He said Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was also expected to contact them amid rapidly changing political scenario.