GDA, MQM-P will support PTI in National & Sindh Assembly

Pakistan Muslim League-Functional president and Grand Democratic Alliance’s chief Pir Pagara has said solidarity and stability of the country is above everything and that is why his party is extending complete support to Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan.
After joining hands with PTI by MQM-P,the GDA chief  has announced to support PTI in centre and Sindh Province. Pir Pagara expressed these views in response to a phone call from PTI’s central leader Jahangir Tareen who told him on Friday that he wanted to pay a visit to Kingri House, the Pir’s Karachi residence.
Pir Pagara pointed out that the GDA even before the general election on July 25 had decided to extend political support to Imran Khan and his party backed PTI candidates in Sindh whenever possible during the election.
PTI leader Tareen contacts GDA chief and expresses desire to visit Kingri House
“Our cooperation with the PTI will continue,” he said.
Appreciating the sentiments of Pir Pagara, Mr Tareen said he would be visiting Karachi in a day or two to meet him at Kingri House.
The GDA on Friday staged a protest rally outside the Karachi Press Club against rigging where its leaders rejected the outcome of the general election.
The protesters were led by Ghaus Ali Shah, Sardar Raheem, Nusrat Sahar Abbasi, Qari Usman, Abdul Karim Abid, Maulana Omar Sadiq, Aslam Ghauri and others.
“We want fresh elections. The election commission failed to discharge its duties fairly,” they said.
The GDA leaders also warned that they would give a call for a shutter-down strike in the province if their demands were not met.
The protesters included a large number of women and youths who were holding placards and raising slogans against the “rigged and fraud” elections.
They also accused the PPP of “destroying” the entire province. “People now want to get rid of the PPP,” they said.
The GDA leaders further said their polling agents were thrown out of polling stations at 6pm on election day and Form 45 was not provided to them.
They asked the chief election commissioner to tender his resignation as he failed to conduct fair and free elections despite spending Rs22 billion on the exercise.
“We will not surrender before Asif Zardari and will not rest until our due right is accepted,” they concluded.
MQM-Pakistan Friday agreed to become part of the PTI-led coalition for the formation of next federal government, making it easier for the latter to secure simple majority in the National Assembly for the election of prime minister.

The Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan agreed to help the struggling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf after they inked a 9-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that described the terms of their alliance.
The MoU has some strict conditions, including review of Karachi operation that can haunt PTI in future. The other strict conditions are holding of five percent audit of the census results in Karachi and the election audit of any of the constituencies pointed out by MQM-P.
The agreement also includes the announcement of a special federal package for urban areas of Sindh, especially Karachi, and bringing police reforms in the province.
The MoU was signed following a meeting of MQM-P delegation, led by its Rabita Committee convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, with PTI Chairman Imran Khan at latter’s Bani Gala residence.
The 9 points memorandum signed by PTI Sindh President Dr Arif Alvi and Rabita Committee member Faisal Sabzwari says that the resolution passed by the National Assembly regarding Karachi census and five percent audit of the census results in Karachi - as decided in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) - should be implemented immediately.
“In line with PTI and MQM manifesto(s), the local government system in Sindh and Punjab does not conform to the constitutional requirements under Section 140A. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will support the petition of MQM-P, which is before the Supreme Court of Pakistan in this regard,” says the second point of MoU.
Thirdly, the agreement says that Karachi operation shall be reviewed in totality and in consultation with all stakeholders and all parties should have a level-playing field. It says that all appointments in the government should be based on merit and according to the law through an accredited, impartial testing system.
The fifth point says: “Octori was abolished in 1988. The decision was made that the affected cities would be compensated with share in proportion to the loss in lieu of Octori taxes. That decision should be implemented fully.”
The sixth point of MoU says that the urban centres of Sindh, including Karachi, have been severely neglected in the past and direct financial package will be announced immediately that shall be disbursed by the federal government with special emphasis on [supply of] water.
The MoU says that both parties shall strive to introduce the police reforms as implemented by PTI in KP and promised by MQM-P in its manifesto, so that police are de-politicised and is recruited with merit in letter and spirit according to the law that envisages local recruitment.
According to the MoU, a university of international level and repute shall be established in Hyderabad. “It is agreed in line with the statement given by PTI chairman [that] election audit would take place of any of the constituencies pointed out by MQM-P,” says the final point of MoU.
“I am happy to announce that we are in complete agreement. PTI has signed an MoU with MQM-P,” said senior PTI leader Jahangir Tareen in a joint press conference with the MQM-P leadership following their meeting with Imran Khan.
He added that MQM-P had consulted its Rabita Committee and PTI had discussed the issues with its committee in this connection, following their earlier meeting in Karachi.
Tareen said that PTI manifesto gives importance to devolution and effective local government that could fulfil the wishes of the masses and bring about real development. “We have agreed to support the pending petition of MQM before SC on the local government,” he said.
The PTI leader said that Karachi people had voted for PTI and MQM-P and rejected the two main parties – PPP and PML-N – who were in governments as they neglected the urban centres of Karachi. These urban centres are facing many issues like water shortage, bad sewerage and lack of public transportation.
“We have agreed for renewal of urban centres of Karachi and we will announce a special financial package for Karachi and it would be implemented soon,” he said and added: “I am happy that we have agreed on a written MoU and they will be part of the PTI-led government and I welcome MQM-P.”
MQM-P leader Khalid Siddiqui said they came to Bani Gala on the invitation of PTI chairman and this was part of their efforts to move forward the democratic process that were initiated by PTI and MQM some days ago.
“We will take every step together that can strengthen democracy and we would carry forward the benefits of democracy to masses,” he said.
“We understand that a better future of Pakistan is linked with the devolution of powers and resources,” Siddique said. He added that people had given mandate to PTI and MQM-P in the urban areas of Sindh and both had decided to fulfil the needs of these areas.
The MQM leader said his party had gone to Supreme Court for review of census results for urban areas of Sindh, especially Karachi, and CCI had also taken the decision in this connection. “Now, PTI has assured us of support on this issue.”
He said that PTI had also agreed to review Karachi operation and all injustices done with MQM-P in the past would be addressed.
Responding to questions, Siddiqui said that MQM-P had still reservations over the election results and would continue its protest at relevant forms. “We respect the mandate of all parties and want that our mandate is respected,” he added.
He said that MQM and PTI had still to agree upon some matters but hoped all these things will be agreed on amicably.
To the question whether MQM-London had been taken on board, he said that they had discussed this (making alliance with PTI) with it and everything will be made public soon.
About the absence of MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar in the meeting, he said that Sattar was on board. He also said that there was a need that new provinces should be created on administrative grounds throughout Pakistan.


Previous Post Next Post