supremo Altaf Hussain for extending the first olive branch toward the rival party and taking the initiative issue for negotiations between both hot contenders.
He said the MQM leaders were also apologetic over Tuesday’s incident and had therefore offered to help the PTI hold its rally at Jinnah Ground or any other suitable venue within NA-246.
The governor said both sides were keen on letting the by-election be conducted in a peaceful and democratic environment and abide by the ECP’s code of ethics.
Talking about Tuesday’s incident when MQM activists had thrashed the car of PTI candidate Imran Ismail, the governor said it was a result of a dispute during an ongoing cricket match in which one side had been denied its turn to bat.
When asked what the parties intended to do about the FIRs registered against each other following the Tuesday incident, he said their fate was in the hands of the law and due procedure.
He said he had suggested to both the MQM and PTI, to continue campaigning for the upcoming by-election but both decided to be careful and exercise restraint in the choice of words used by their leaderships.
Also speaking to the media after the meeting, the PTI candidate Imran Ismail remarked that NA-246 had no individual importance of its own and neither party should perceive the other’s win as a blow to their prestige.
He said the PTI welcomed the MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s invitation of cooperation and also praised the mediatory of Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad.
He said whoever ends up winning the by-election should will have the due mandate of the people of Karachi.
On the other hand, MQM candidate Kanwar Naveed Jameel remarked that the martys’ monument at Jinnah Ground had great sentimental value for workers and supporters of his party. He said all wuarters concerned should respect the dignity of the offices of political parties.
To this PTI MNA from NA-250, Dr Arif Alvi, said his party will go ahead with its plan of holding a public meeting in Azizabad but will uphold the dignity of martyrs’ monument which built in the memory of the innocent youth killed in Karachi. He also promised that no unsavoury remarks will be passed by party leaders speaking at the public gathering.
He said PTI leaders will also pay a visit to the monument and hold a Quran Khwani to pray for the departed souls.
Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Qadir Thebo said the police had requested the government to formally notify Jinnah Ground as the venue for PTI’s upcoming rally to that adequate security arrangements could be made for the occasion.