MQM alliance formed out of compulsion: PTI Karachi chief

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Karachi President Firdaus Shamim Naqvi Sunday said the alliance with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) was formed out of compulsion, and not out of choice.

While addressing a press conference here, Naqvi said he stands by his accusations, levelled against the MQM-P, and his party entered into an alliance with it as the PTI lacked party votes to elect Imran Khan as leader of the house in National Assembly. "The MQM-P lost elections because of Mayor Waseem Akhtar," Naqvi said. "They (MQM) didn't fulfil their promises made with the people of Karachi," he added.

The PTI leader said members of Pak-Sarzameen Party, All Pakistan Muslim League and MQM-P were joining the party ranks, but he was ensuring that the new entrants didn't have any criminal background.

"We can't afford including criminal elements in the party," Naqvi added. However, Faisal Sabzwari, a central leader of MQM-P, in his reaction to Naqvi's statement, said the working relationship between the two parties would be affected by such statements. "We will put forward this statement before the PTI leadership and ask them about its compulsions," he said.

Separately, MQM leader Farooq Sattar chose to reserve his answer when he was asked about his absence from the meeting of party leaders with Imran Khan at Banigala. "This question should be asked from Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. I believe that the MQM members should not take ministries," he added.