The Pakistan People's Party co chairman Asif Ali Zardari had taken Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif into confidence over his recent visit to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) headquarter Nine-Zero. This was revealed by PPP leader Nabeel Gabol while talking to media on sidelines of the opening session of Sindh Assembly on Saturday.
"We have an understanding with the PML-N in Punjab not in Sindh province... Zardari had taken him into confidence on the Nine-Zero visit," replied Gabol when this reporter asked him if his party was joining hands with MQM at the cost of cordial relations with PML-N, which is PPP's political ally in the centre and Punjab province.
He said the MQM leader Altaf Hussain had extended an unconditional support to the PPP and his party would respond accordingly. To a query on reservations expressed by nationalist parties of Sindh province the PPP leader said his party would also take the nationalists onboard as Zardari had a mission of promoting national reconciliation.
Gabol said a resolution calling for a United Nations backed probe into the assassination of Benazir Bhutto would be tabled in the provincial assembly following the national assembly. While the PPP is all set to embrace the MQM in Sindh province its another key political ally in the centre and North West Frontier Province (NWFP), Awami National Party (ANP), came up with the strongest reservations on Saturday.
"We would decide our further strategy after the PPP joined hands with the MQM in Sindh," Shahi Syed President of ANP in Sindh chapter told the media persons. He said his party had strong reservations over the May 12 incident when 40 of his party workers had lost their lives. "But we are the followers of Ghani Khan (a pacifist) thus resolve every issue through table talks," Syed added.
Other newly elected MPAs of the PPP like Zulfiquar Mirza, Sussi Palejo and Mukhdoom Jamil Zaman also supported their party decision to join hands with MQM. "Benazir had asked us to take all along," said Mirza adding that those opposing the PPP's reconciliatory attitude had always been following "personal interest" in the name of Sindh.
Palejo, however, said no final decision was taken by the PPP leadership on forming a coalition government with MQM in Sindh. Mukhdoom also said that the nationalist forces would be taken into confidence.
MQM leader Abdul Rauf Siddiqui said that "Soon after the February 18 elections the Quaid (Altaf) had acknowledged the people's mandate wholeheartedly... others should also do this," he added. He termed the PPP co-chairman Nine-Zero visit a milestone development and vital for the survival of Sindh and Pakistan ultimately.
When asked if he had a cure for the wounds of those who had lost their loved ones on May 12, 2007 Rauf said a new era of love and affection would hail wounds. To a query on fate of the deputy speaker in Sindh Assembly the MQM leader said it was the Co-ordination Committee, which could talk on the issue. Reliable sources, however, told Business Recorder that the PPP and MQM had finalised the name of Abdul Moeed, an MPA from MQM, for the deputy speaker slot.
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