MQM leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui quits as Federal Minister

MQM leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui quits as Federal Minister as Siddiqui made this announcement in Karachi on Sunday.

While addressing a press conference in Karachi, he said to be quitting as Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication.

Senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leaders accompanied him.

MQM leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui

Furthermore, he noted MQM had promised the government to help with the formation of the government.

However, he said now they held their end of the deal because they see no progress on any of the promises.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to remain a part of the federal cabinet as questions are being raised upon my presence in the cabinet,” he explained.

Agreement with the government

The MQM-P convener said his party signed two agreements with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Dr Khalid said that they entered into one agreement in Bani Gala while another in Bahadurabad, in the presence of Jahangir Tareen.

He said that they [MQM-P] had supported the federal government in every difficult phase but “injustice was still being done with Sindh”.

Answering a question, he said, “We did not ask for the law ministry neither did we propose Farogh Naseem’s name. The two names that we had proposed for the ministry did not include [Farogh] Naseem’s name. The government had selected his [Farogh Naseem] name on its own.”

However, he said this has nothing to do with PPP’s offer.

Bilawal offered MQM power sharing in Sindh

Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari made this offer while addressing inaugural ceremony of mega projects in Karachi.

He offered power sharing in Sindh if the MQM backs PPP against PTI government at the Centre.

However, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar belonging to MQM gave an indirect response to the offer.

In the presence of Karachi Mayor, Bilawal asked MQM Pakistan to break-off coalition partnership with the PTI government.

He further said that if MQM helps in dismissal of the government, then PPP would appoint their ministers in Sindh government.

Although Bilawal said that PPP would share power with MQM in Sindh for the sake of Karachi and Karachiites, it remains sort of quid pro quo formula.

Waseem Akhtar responds

Meanwhile, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar had said that the matter transcends his domain although he hails from MQM.

He said MQM can go to any length in the interest of people but he alone cannot take decision in this regard.

However, he said that his party could consider the offer of the PPP.

The mayor further said that federal government in the past hadn’t addressed grievances of Karachiites. He said that present government too was not resolving problems of Karachi.

Hence, MQM may consider the offer of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. He also referred that MQM had also joined hands with PPP in the past in the interest of people.

GTV