Daily Times

Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has once again taken advantage of its vote bank and has begun playing “ping pong” with the federal and Sindh governments. The party has consistently been governing Karachi for the last 30 years.

MQM-P has five seats in the Senate, seven in the national assembly and 20 in the provincial assembly of Sindh. This appealed to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and they became coalition partners.

MQM-P members continued to gain the status of the national assembly and Senate, which is said to be a strong source for the government’s stability. The red alert for the federal government began because the controversy is the first 10-billion instalment of the federal government’s announced development budget of 162 billion but the rights have not been given to the MQM-P.

In the recent visit of Karachi, Prime Minister Imran Khan did not meet MQM-P. This was a message from the federal government that it could function without the MQM-P even though the prime minister had meetings with Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah, Grand Democratic Alliance leaders and members of the business community.

Not meeting the MQM-P has raised many questions over the coalition of MQM-P and PTI. The MQM-P leadership said that Prime Minister Imran Khan did not have anything for Karachi and that he may meet the MQM-P leadership when he has something for Karachi and its people.

According to MQM-P’s source, in both meetings, the delegation failed to provide concrete assurances to the party over these demands. This is why the MQM-P did not meet Prime Minister

When it comes to the MQM-P and PTI alliance, the MQM-P has not been happy with PTI’s decisions and policies after the 2018 general elections.

And the scenario got changed when Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui was compelled to resign because MQM-P was not able to take its advantage. Another group, MQM-H, played the card smartly to sideline him. The ministry that was given to MQM-P was not beneficial to the people of Karachi. This is why the MQM has not been satisfied with its ministries since day one. MQM-P had demanded the ministries of Ports and Shipping and Health, but they were given ministries that could only be used to raise flags on cars and at homes.

The PTI delegation, including Defence Minister Pervez Khattak, Jahangir Tareen and Asad Umar, held two inconclusive meetings with the MQM-P leadership in Karachi but could not reach any conclusion.

According to MQM-P’s source, in both meetings, the delegation failed to provide concrete assurances to the party over these demands. This is why the MQM-P did not meet Prime Minister when he came to Karachi as the MQM-P first wanted some progress on the issues. MQM-P had informed the government delegation that sitting in the cabinet was useless if their demands were not being addressed. Despite the passage of over one and a half years, no practical work had been carried out.

This is creating a negative impact on Imran Khan’s government. This suspicion was reinforced by the fact after the resignation of Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. Seeing the situation, earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan had met Sindh Governor, Imran Ismail, and Law Minister, Farogh Naseem, at the PM Office, in which it was decided that the MQM-P will be given another ministry. However, this too could not motivate MQM-P.

According to MQM-P leader Khawaja Izhar, his party was ready to accept Bilawal’s offer and join forces with the PPP if it had improved the local government system in Sindh. He further added that our hopes from the federal government were dying as they did not honour their promises.

MQM-P has been assured by the government delegation of receiving the funds soon and any future course of action would be devised after this process in spite of assurances. Currently, the MQM-P is neither taking back resignations from the federal cabinet nor joining it.

However, sources from the federal government are claiming that they knew about the situation and that some members of the PML-N and the PPP had merged with the PTI without making any announcement. They further said that these members would be added by making a forwarded block; making the government more stable.

The PTI leadership also stated that MQM-P wanted all funds from the federal government instead of taking them from the provincial government.

Surprisingly, a political party like MQM-P spent 18 months under these conditions. MQM-P has been in alliance with the governments of the PML-N and the PPP; saying goodbye whenever they had or were about to run into trouble or their demands were not being fulfilled.

The writer is a correspondent of Daily Times