MQM scraps talks with government

Karachi
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement suddenly closed the doors of negotiations with the government on Thursday saying that only forming a grievance redressal committee would not alleviate the party’s woes as an “army operation” against its activists was still under way.
The MQM’s entire negotiating team, headed by Dr Farooq Sattar, left Islamabad and arrived in Karachi in the afternoon.
Wasey Jalil, a senior MQM leader, told The News on the phone from London that there was no use of the party remaining in parliament if none of its issues are addressed and its activists were being whisked away and killed in custody.
He added that though a draft notification of committee had been exchanged with the government, but it would not bear any fruitful results until the MQM’s demand of lifting the ban on party chief Altaf Hussain’s speeches, stopping the whisking away of its activists and then their extra-judicial killing, and allowing the reopening of Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF) offices were met.
“We have reached the decision that the MQM lawmakers won’t return to the assemblies until these demands are met and that’s why we have stopped out talks with the government.”
When asked if the MQM would show any flexibility in its decision, Jalil said nothing was final in politics and doors for talks were always open but for now “we have decided to come back”.
The MQM leader said the party would not change its decision until it was allowed to democratically play its role and open its sector offices and the ban on Hussain’s speeches and interviews was lifted.

MQM-Haqiqi
Jalil alleged that Rangers were sheltering activists of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqqiqi and assisting them in opening their offices.
“Our offices were forcibly shut down by the law-enforcement agencies, especially Rangers, maintained Jalil. “This violates the democratic rights of a political party.”
He said an unannounced ban was imposed on the KKF and that had paralysed its entire network. “The government’s lack of seriousness in addressing these issues is the reason that we have stopped talks with the government.”