KARACHI, Dec 21: The former deputy convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Aftab Shaikh, has been reinstated in his post after his meeting with the party chief, Altaf Hussain, in London.

Mr Shaikh was suspended by the MQM Coordination Committee on Nov 18 on the charge of violating party discipline.

The brief statment, issued by the MQM’s international secretariat in London, said that Mr Shaikh had met the Acting Convener of the Coordination Committee, Dr Ishratul Ibad, and others. It said that he had held detailed discussion with them and after due consideration, the committee decided to restore him as deputy convener.

The statement, however, did not spell out whether he had been restored to his original position or assigned some other responsibilities.

Endorsing the decision, Altaf Hussain directed Mr Shaikh to follow the party discipline and utilize his potentials in improving the same.

Mr Shaikh was suspended at a crucial stage when he was in the forefront holding negotiations with other parties’ aspirants for the key government slots. He had also steered the party’s struggle along with the ARD. His suspension had plunged the MQM in serious crisis, especially following Dr Imran Farooq’s removal as conveyor of the Coordination Committee which ultimately led to the elevation of Dr Farooq Sattar to the senior position.

The decision to reinstate Aftab Shaikh has came at a time when the party is pushing the Jamali government to induct Dr Ishratul Ibad as governor of Sindh before the vote of confidence to be sought by the prime minister in the Dec 30 session of the National Assembly.

Mr Ibad, according to sources, is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Sunday by PK-786 along with Mr Aftab Shaikh. He and some other senior party leaders are likely to call on President Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali before leaving for Karachi.

The Deputy Convener of the MQM Coordination Committee, Dr Farooq Sattar, said that Mr Ibad’s meeting with the president and PM would be formal and that a notification for his appointment as governor was only a matter of time. “I see no problem in this regard,” he said.

The other Deputy Convener, Nasreen Jaleel, said that it would take a couple of days to issue the notification. She ruled out any change of name for the slot.

The MQM has shrewdly withheld the names of provincial cabinet members as it had linked its support on government formation in Sindh with the notification of Isharatul Ibad as governor.

The timing of Mr Ibad’s arrival, ahead of the vote of confidence for Mr Jamali, is being regarded as pressure tactics on the part of the MQM as the fragile coalition at the Centre depends heavily on MQM’s support, though partly on certain turncoats.

PML-Q sources, however, have indicated that MQM is not in a position to dictate its terms now because of the MMA’s pledge not to let the government fall for its own obvious reasons. The sources shrugged off the fallout, on Sindh government, in case the MQM’s demand to appoint Mr Ibad as governor was turned down.

Troubleshooters are, nevertheless, still hopeful that MQM’s stand will eventually become moderate.

Other coalition partners in the Sindh government are seemingly perturbed over MQM’s domination in the future cabinet as it has demanded Home, S&GD and Local Government portfolios.

The PML-Q sources believed that the party could not reconcile to a scenario in which the governor and the key ministries would remain with the MQM making the CM virtually ineffective in governing the province. They are also perturbed over certain MQM demands pertaining to an immediate suspension of some police and other officials of the law enforcement agencies and the civilian bureaucracy.

The King’s party members are particularly worried over the Local Government portfolio going to the MQM as the latter has pledged to undo the present system. They fear that the development work in the province may be affected owing to ‘clash of interest’.

In view of the hick-ups, it is likely that Mr Ibad’s notification may be delayed. The ruling party sources maintain that a thorough debate is necessary to iron out these matters to save the province from plunging into anarchy.

Those who believe that this government may not last long, are of the opinion that if Mr Ibad was made governor and the MQM is given the above-mentioned ministries, it would become very difficult proposition to impose governor’s rule in the province even if inevitable.