Zardari contacts Altaf to discuss Senate elections

KARACHI: Asif Ali Zardari, a key player in the upcoming Senate elections has contacted Altaf Hussain, chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Altaf Hussain, as the MQM plays a significant role in electing the Senate chairman who is also retiring.
To persuade all key political parties, Zardari is developing contacts with them to gain the chairmanship of Senate.Earlier on Sunday, Zardari called Imran Khan and Fazal-ur-Rehman of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam and Ameer of Jamat-e-Islmai Siraj-ul-Haq, topic of discussion was Senate elections scheduled to be held on Thursday.
Political observers are viewing the telephonic conversation between Zardari and Altaf Hussain as a ‘significant development’ Asif Zardari called Altaf Hussain and thanked him for supporting two candidates in Senate election from Sindh.
It is said that both signed an unwritten declaration for support in the Senate elections as one candidate from PML-F Imamuddin Shouqeen is in the run to elect 7 Senators from General seats and hopefully Zardari would sacrifice one seat against Imamuddin Shouqeen to develop close relations with the Pagara and to convince him in his favour in the Senate key position.
Both were of the opinion that Sindh has its political significance, the two leaders of the party believed that with the unification of PPP-MQM prosperity would prevail and it is the need of hour to show magnanimity by sacrificing some seats to other parties to ensure smooth process of Senate polls.
Rehman Malik, former interior minister and Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad who had played vital role in liquefy relations between the two parties have once again became active with regard to the Senate polls which ultimately prove worthy of an alliance in the Sindh Assembly and as the indications from Muttahida for joining as ruling coalition after Senate attaches much importance.Zardari and Altaf praised the efforts of Malik and Ebad and hoped that in future too same cooperation and support would continue between each other.