MQM wants ex-bureaucrats,intellectuals, judges as members

Karachi
The issue of Muttahida Qaumi Movement lawmakers’ resignations from three legislatures is expected to be settled in a day or two and they are likely to return to the parliament, sources told The News on Wednesday.
The marathon meetings between the government and the MQM indicate that things are going in the right direction and the party has been assured that its complaints would be addressed. In this connection, a grievances redressal committee is being formed.
The MQM has not demanded that any of its members should be inducted into the committee and has given a free hand to the government to form a body of its choice. However, it wants neutral people, including senior retired bureaucrats, intellectuals or judges, who are credible and capable enough of dealing with the problem without being pressured by anyone, to be members of the committee.
MQM sources told The News that the party had already submitted its 19 reasons over which its lawmakers had tendered their resignations and had clearly stated that if its reservations were not addressed, the party reserved the right to resign from the legislatures again.
The sources said the negotiations had taken place in a congenial atmosphere and the assurances of the government indicated that a positive result would be seen in the next day or two.
Both the MQM London and Karachi secretariats, the sources added, were closely monitoring the meetings and had reached a consensus that for the better interest of the country and not to create any hindrances in the way of the democratic set-up, the MQM’s reservations might be addressed and that brightened the chances of the party’s lawmakers returning to the parliament.
As the prime minister arrived in the country on late Wednesday night, the concluding round of talks is expected on Thursday (today). The final decision will be announced either on Thursday or Friday, the sources said.
The MQM is the fourth largest party in the 342-seat National Assembly with 24 MNAs, the third in the 104-seat Senate with eight senators and second in the 168-seat Sindh Assembly with 51 MPAs.
All its legislators had submitted their resignations on August 12 in protest against the alleged political victimisation of the party in the ongoing crackdown against criminals in Karachi.