ISLAMABAD - The MQM agreed to retract their resignations from assemblies after successful negotiations with the government on Monday.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement struck common ground with a government negotiation team, after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif accepted their key demands and assured a six-member delegation of the annoyed party that their legitimate concerns on Karachi operation would be addressed.
In a joint declaration read out to media jointly by government and MQM negotiation teams in the presence of JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, who mediated the whole exercise, both sides announced that a mechanism to address MQM grievances had been chalked out and MQM in principle agreed to rejoin the parliament.
However, a source informed that MQM Rabita Committee will later make a formal announcement on withdrawal of resignations of their lawmakers.
The MQM had presented resignations in both housed of national parliament and Sindh Assembly on August 12, alleging that the party was being singled out in Rangers-led operation in Karachi.
Fazl said that government has agreed to constitute a committee to address MQM concerns on Karachi operation and their other demands.
Sources said Dr Farooq Sattar, who led MQM team, remained in touch with party’s chief Altaf Hussain during his interaction with the government negotiation team.
They said the MQM members were quite satisfied after their meeting with the PM, who told them that Karachi operation will continue as it was in favour of all the parties but government will address all the legitimate demands of MQM.
The MQM side also included Wasim Akhtar, Kanwal Naveed and Barrister Saif. The government team comprised Ishaq Dar, Pervaiz Rashid, Ms Anoosha Rehman, Aushtar Aousaf and Barrister Zafarullah.
A source in the ruling PML-N informed that all the contentious matters between the two sides were resolved and MQM had in principle agreed to retract their resignations on the formation of grievance redressal committee by the government to make them believe that MQM would not be singled out in operation in the port city and that the operation is only targeted at criminal elements.
MQM negotiation team leader Farooq Sattar said that they have placed their grievances before the Prime Minister and later discussed it with government negotiation team, and on the assurance of fair play and justice to them they have agreed to give second thought to their decision of resignation from Parliament.
Sattar further said that they had raised the issue of forced missing of their activists, extra-judicial killings and other such things against their leaders and activists in port city of Karachi. He further said that some 150 leaders and activists of MQM were still missing while there was no progress in the cases of 45 extra-judicial killings of their men.
He said that they had also raised the issue of ban on the direct telecast of MQM Quaid’s speeches to his activists and leaders while now ban was slapped on even his recorded speeches which they considered a sheer of constitution and freedom to speech.
Earlier Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif directed for constitution of a committee to listen to the grievances of Muttahida Qoumi Movement against the ongoing Rangers’ operation in Karachi dispelling the impression of any biasness in it.
Talking to six-member MQM delegation led by its Parliamentary leader Dr. Farooq Sattar here at Prime Minister’s House Premier Sharif said that the operation against militants would continue as it is in the interest of all, particularly it would greatly benefit MQM.
In the presence of JUI-F chief Moulana Fazlur Rehman and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar PM asked MQM MPs to retract their resignations and raise their concerns issues at the platform of Parliament. For their further satisfaction Prime Minister also announced constitution of a committee to see into the reservations of MQM about the operation and their missing leaders and activists, which the party claimed were in the custody of law enforcement agencies.
Prime Minister dispelled the impression that Rangers operation was targeting any particular party, as it was just targeting the criminal elements in the port city which would be in the interest of all.
He, however, constituted a committee to address the genuine concerns of MQM about the Karachi operation and their proposals to make it more transparent and effective against the criminals.
Sources said that Dr. Farooq Sattar said that MQM was not against the operation against militant and criminal elements in the port city, but all what they wanted is fair treatment to their workers and activists, which they considered were subjected to unjust and biased treatment.
Sources aware of the deliberations of the meeting informed that Prime Minister asked MQM MPs to stay part of the Parliament and play their due role for the collective good of the system.
He further said that the ongoing operation against criminal elements in the port city was widely acclaimed not only by the people of Karachi but the improvement in the law and order situation in the city was welcomed by masses across the country.
Premier Sharif made it loud and clear that his government was determined to take the operation to its logical end and would not accept any pressure from any quarter in this connection.
He said that PML-N government had taken political leadership across the spectrum onboard before launching operation Zerb-i-Azb, which is heading for its successful culmination while the decision of adopting National Action Plan and formation of military courts were also made with consensus keeping in view the national interests.