Nawaz ignores MQM in Karachi

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stayed for about five hours, which were packed with hectic activity, at a military airbase as a transit passenger in Karachi on Wednesday.
Another rarity of Nawaz’s visit is that he did not meet the MQM leaders despite their efforts. Routinely, Nawaz lands at the Jinnah International Airport and visits the Governor’s House or other designated places. But on Wednesday, his chartered plane landed at the Faisal Airbase of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) at 12:25pm.
Governor Ishratul Ebad and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah welcomed him. Nawaz then went to the PAF Museum Convention Hall where the Karachi Stock Exchange members and others were present.
Within seven minutes of the PM’s landing, the stock exchange ceremonies started after which Nawaz attended important sessions. Having spent four hours and fifty minutes in these activities, Nawaz flew back to Islamabad in his chartered plane.
This was the PM’s fourth visit to Karachi in five weeks. The Governor’s House was ignored on his visits on February 16 and March 24. On February 16, he went directly to the Karachi V Corps headquarters where he took landmark decisions along with the army chief, DG ISI, DG Rangers, Karachi corps commander, etc. On that day, he went to the Governor’s House just as a formality.
On February 26, Nawaz opened an expo and then he came to the city on March 11 when Nine-Zero was raided. However, he laid the foundation stone of Karachi Motorway at the airport and returned to Islamabad. Sources said there was no precedent of a government personality visiting Karachi like this.