JAVAID-UR-RAHMAN
ISLAMABAD - The Muttahida Qaumi Movment (MQM) has started losing interest in the formation of Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC) after receiving ‘cooperation’ from the federal government in the ongoing Karachi operation.
The MMQ stopped pushing the federal government to immediately constitute GRC, which was its major demand around two months back, sources in the MQM shared with The Nation.
The MQM lawmakers on the ‘special orders’ of their supermo Altaf Hussain have also stopped raising voice in and outside the assemblies for the immediate formation of the committee.
As the committee per the MoU signed by the central government and MQM, has to submit its report within three months. “The MQM members have been asked to adopt bit soft stance till next course of action from party on the matter of GRC,” they said.
The GRC was the main demand of MQM, a couple of weeks before, as party members have number of time expressed their reservations regarding the Rangers-led operation in Karachi. The main reason behind demand of its formation was to address their reservations.
When contacted, MQM senior leader Ali Raza Abidi admitted cooperation from law enforcement agencies against MQM in Karachi operation. “Now, before the arrest of any member they at least inform the party authorities about it,” said Abidi, adding that despite their cooperation the GRC should have been formed.
According to a notification, the committee was to hold its first session within 15 days of its constitution and complete its work on the complaints within 90 days. But, this committee has still not been formed after passing over two months. A notification was issued for its formation on October16 to form a five-member GRC. The committee comprised Justice (Retd) Nasir Aslam Zahid, Justice (Retd) Khalilur Rehman and Justice (Retd) Ajmal Mian, interior secretary and an ex-officio member of the committee. The government has also not appointed fifth members of the committee, which shows the interest of the federal government in this matter.
MQM’s parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar, around a month before, held three meetings with finance minister to form this committee but now he had also seemingly lost interest on this matter.