KARACHI, Dec 12: Despite a deal having been struck between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader, Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, over Sindh governor’s post going to the MQM, the ruling party’s nominee for the chief minister’s slot is of the opinion that a final decision is yet to be taken.
When told about this arrangement, Ali Mohammad Mahar said: “It is not yet final.” It may be mentioned that late on Wednesday night, and in his presence, Chaudhry Shujat had announced that he (Mahar) was the nominee for the top job, while the governor’s post would go to the Muttahida’s nominee.
Dr Farooq Sattar, deputy convener of the MQM coordination committee, however, categorically stated that the governor would be from amongst his party and not a representative of the centre.
He said that the MQM had already proposed the name of its convener Dr Ishratul Ibad for the post. He would reach Pakistan within a day or two. Dr Sattar also said that the MQM had been offered 55 per cent of the provincial ministries.
From the two statements it appeared that the rulers in Islamabad might have some reservations about an MQM man donning gubernatorial robes, and, in the end, might try to have their own way.
Mahar also supported policies initiated by Gen Musharraf and vowed to pursue them.
Asked whether he considered the centre’s involvement in the formation of government in Sindh as justified, the GNA nominee replied: “Centre is also ours.”
He also deplored the rumpus caused inside the assembly hall by slogan-chanting by the elected representatives and their supporters in the overflowing visitors’ gallery.
“Altaf Hussain and Benazir Bhutto are respected leaders but in the house only the slogan of Pakistan Zindabad would have been enough,” he observed.
A disgruntled Dr Arbab Rahim of the National Alliance, who was initially fielded for the CM’s office by the GNA, expressed his reservations on the candidature of Ali Mohammad Mahar for the job. He said that Mahar was a consensus candidate of PML-Q, PML-F and the MQM. Maintaining that the NA was still open to negotiations, he said that he would discuss things with Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi.
The parliamentary party leader of the PPP, Nisar Khuhro, said the provincial assembly “has come into being” after four years, “therefore it is important that the mandate of the people is respected.”
He criticised the presiding officer, former speaker Syed Jalal Mahmood Shah, for the rumpus and disorder during the inaugural session and expressed concern over switching off of the microphones.
Khuhro said that he wanted to offer Fateha for those who had committed suicide owing to economic hardships created by the regime.
He claimed that the PPP was in a position to form the government and declared that its strength would be demonstrated on the floor of the assembly.
Deputy convener of the MQM coordination committee, Dr Farooq Sattar, said that the convening of the Sindh Assembly was a good omen and assured that the MQM would strive for making democracy sustainable, although in the context of numbers game, the new government might not seem to be that strong.
He hoped that all elements of the coalition would be allowed to take part in the decision-making.
On power-sharing at the centre, Dr Sattar said that the MQM was following a wait-and-see policy.
Earlier, he read out a statement from MQM’s parliamentary leader, Sardar Ahmed, in which he reiterated the party’s resolve and commitment to democratic dispensation and political stability.