Coalition partners MQM-P, PTI on the same page – but also not

Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan leader Amir Khan’s recent criticism of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf for “ignoring” Karachi and Hyderabad has hinted that the two parties are having difficulty maintaining their working relationship.

Taking a dig at the PTI, Khan had said on Friday night that the party was drifting away from the promises it had made before the general election. “The infrastructure in Karachi has collapsed and we have repeatedly been demanding [resources] from [Prime Minister] Imran Khan to fix it. But there is no implementation in sight.”

He went on to add that MQM-P was waiting to see the “changes” in the first 100 days of the PTI government and after that it will decide whether to remain on the treasury benches or not. The party being the most beneficial PTI ally in the federal government holds two ministries – information technology and telecommunications and law and justice – against its seven seats in the National Assembly.

Talking to The News on Saturday, PTI leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi, who is also the opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly, said that the concerns raised by the MQM-leader were incomprehensible and if there are any, then they should have been tabled in a cabinet meeting.

“These issues should not be linked with the 100 Days Agenda,” he said and added that allies should know that “despite facing financial challenges”, the federal government announced the mini budget and due to its limitations it could not announce a package for Hyderabad.

Naqvi said the Centre was not primarily responsible. “That is where we ask them [MQM-P] to cooperate that they should press the provincial government instead,” he said. “They should approach the right door rather than knocking on the wrong door. Obviously the National Finance Commission Award does not mean that the province has gotten its share. Amir Khan should ask for the Provincial Finance Commission Award in which we are with him.”

The PTI has asked MQM-P to join hands against the Sindh government to become the “real” opposition because until that happens all else is in vain, Naqvi said.

He further said that no one should exploit the rural urban divide in the province. “These issues were on the backburner because no one was actually pursuing them and the Sindh government took advantage of that.”

Proposing to put the controversy behind, Naqvi invited Khan for a talk. Meanwhile, playing down his colleague’s remarks, MQM-P leader Aminul Haque said that his party believed in “unity with diversity” but no one was allowed to cross the red line.

According to Haque, MQM-P likes the PTI’s local government system but there were difficulties in implementing it in Sindh because of the Pakistan Peoples Party. “Therefore, development packages should be issued through the governor because there was no other way,” he said.

He added that the two parties were holding talks on this and hoped that it will be done soon. Haque was of the view that the MoU signed between PTI and MQM-P to become coalition partners was bearing fruit as besides material things the issue of missing persons was also being resolved. “Around a dozen party workers have returned their homes,” he claimed.