LAHORE: In a surprise to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday announced to jointly contest the general elections scheduled to be held on February 8.
This understanding was reached in a meeting between the MQM delegation comprising Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal and the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and others at the party’s Central Secretariat in Model Town Lahore on Tuesday.
In the meeting, the leadership of both parties deliberated on host of issues, including future ties between the two parties. It was also resolved that both the parties would hold consultations on political, economic and legal policies.
Nawaz asks party to brace itself for upcoming polls
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the PML-N and MQM had agreed to adopt a joint strategy to put an end to the public’s woes and put the country on the path of development. Both parties also decided to constitute a six-member committee to prepare a comprehensive charter, which they said would address the problems in Sindh and its urban areas. This charter will present the final proposals for cooperation between the two parties to the leadership within 10 days.
The PML-N supremo has become politically active and started the process of talks with the leaders of allies in the previous coalition government. Nawaz had held a telephonic contact with PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and the meeting between the two is expected soon, sources said.
After the meeting, PML-N senior leader and former federal minister Saad Rafique told the media that his party had held extensive talks with the MQM during their time together in the coalition government. “We signed a charter at that time and thus a larger understanding was there; a desire has been voiced by both parties of contesting the elections together,” he added.
Responding to a query, the PML-N leader said, “Our doors will remain open for other political parties as well and an opportunity would be given to discuss matters in the larger national interest.”
Dr Farooq Sattar said, “Just contesting the elections was not important, what happens after it was too.” He stressed the need for discussions on solving challenges, such as unemployment, inflation and poverty. He was of the view that it was clear that no political party alone was in a position to bring the nation out of the current crises and hence, there was a need for a larger alliance, he added.
Proposing a “charter for national interest,” Sattar said that it would soon be prepared by his party and the PML-N. This charter would also be shared with other political parties; only through this way, they can regain the trust of the public, he opined.
Mustafa Kamal said that Karachi holds the key to bringing Pakistan out of the current economic crisis, but it could only happen when the metropolis was given its due share.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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