MQM-P, GDA and BNP-M: Tareen tasked to address grievances of coalition partners

Prime Minister Imran Khan has tasked senior party leader Jahangir Tareen to reach out to the disenchanted coalition partners to address their concerns following three political parties in the ruling alliance - MQM-P, GDA and BNP-M - expressed their reservations over the unfulfilled promises made with them prior to joining the ruling coalition.

The PTI sources said that the Prime Minster chaired a meeting of the party's media strategy committee in which he was updated on the reservations of the coalition partners allegedly for not honoring the promises made with them.

The meeting, which was attended by Shafqat Mehmood, Shireen Mazari, Babar Awan, Murad Saeed, Faisal Javed, Moeed Yusuf and Shahbaz Gill, discussed the overall political situation and the concerns of the coalition partners.

The photograph of the ailing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his close aides, which has been viral on social media, was also discussed. The prime minister, the sources said, directed Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmeen Rashid to inquire whether Sharif is getting 'treatment or enjoying' in London.

The sources said that the photographs of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appeared on social media also came under discussion during the meeting as the participants pointed out that the former premier is in London on a bail for medical treatment, but he 'could be seen holding meetings and dinning in expensive restaurants'.

They said that the prime minister instructed the party's media strategy committee to forcefully disseminate the PTI's narrative on the media.

The verdict of Lahore High Court (LHC) which declared formation of the special court and its decision to award death sentence to former president Gen Pervez Musharraf (retd) in the high treason case as "unconstitutional" also came under discussion.

Asad Omar, who is part of the committee, could not participate in the meeting, but he briefed the Prime Minister via telephone about the government's team negotiations with the MQM-P leaders in Karachi on Monday following Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, MQM-P chief and Minister for Informational Technology and Telecommunication, had announced to quit the cabinet slot on Sunday, citing the unfulfilled promises made with them prior to joining the ruling coalition.

The sources said that the Prime Minister told the participants that MQM-P is an important ally and he wants Siddiqui back in the cabinet.

They said that the Prime Minister also convened an important meeting today (Tuesday) to be participated by senior party leaders including Jahangir Tareen, Pervez Khattak, Asad Omar, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail and the PM's Adviser Arbab Shehzad, to discuss the reservations of MQM-P, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Balochistan National Party (BNP) of Sardar Akhtar Mengal.

Support of the coalition partners is critical for PTI's government to ensure its simple majority of 172 members in National Assembly, acknowledged by a PTI lawmaker while talking to Business Recorder.

The PTI has 156 members and together with its coalition partners - MQM-P, 7, BNP-Mengal, 5, DGA, 3, PML-Q, 5, BAP, 5, and AML, 1 - is currently leading the Lower House with 182 members. The party sources said that quitting of any coalition partner at this stage would bring the party's government in a compromising position.

The sources said that the today's meeting will debilitate on the reservations of the coalition partners, adding that the Prime Minister has tasked Tareen to reach out to Akhtar Mengal and the MQM-P leaders to give assurances that their 'legislate' demands will be fulfilled.

The Prime Minister, according to the sources, also contacted MQM-P chief Khalid Maqbool Siquddui in the day and assured him that the party's 'legitimate' demands will be fulfilled.

They said that the Prime Minister also invited Siddiqui for a meeting to discuss the MQM-P's reservations. Tareen had also contacted Siddiqui and assured him of the government's intention to address the party's concerns.

The sources further said that Prime Minister was also briefed about the similar concerns expressed by the GDA and he also instructed senior party leaders for an early meeting with GDA leadership to address their concerns.