Emerging political situation: Ice broken between staunch opponents MQM-P, PMLN

ISLAMABAD: In a surprising political development in the country, it was found the PTI government’s key coalition partner MQM-Pakistan was also maintaining cordial ties with Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN), the arch-rival of PTI. The two sides are discussing national issues openly.

Federal Minister from MQM-P Syed Amin Ul Haque, in a brief chat with The News, asserted that his party was enjoying friendly ties with the PMLN. The minister had been taking favourable position in the parliament for the PMLN whenever any issue cropped up in the house with regard to its leadership, including the occasion when the matter of granting permission to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for leaving abroad for treatment was discussed. Syed Amin Ul Haque is of the view that politics should be public welfare oriented, and hostilities should be discouraged.

The sources close to the MQM Pakistan said that the party hasn’t received an invitation to visit London for a meeting with Nawaz Sharif but once the invitation is extended, the party would consider it positively.

The MQM Pakistan’s stalwarts are in regular contact with Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, who is also a close-aide to PMLN supermo Nawaz Sharif. The sources said that the visit of former leader of the PTI Justice (retd) Wajihuddin Ahmad to the MQM Pakistan headquarter in Karachi and meeting with MQM-P leaders, including former federal minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, hasn’t gone well with the PTI leadership but the former has discarded the objection, saying that the MQM-Pakistan welcomes such dignitaries in its office.

In the meanwhile, sources pointed out that the MQM Pakistan wouldn’t enter into an election alliance with the PTI in general elections while it could have seat adjustments with certain parties, including the PTI, in upcoming local bodies polls for the sake of interest of Sindh, Karachi and urban areas of the province especially.