MQM firm on Mirzas ouster

ISLAMABAD - Muttahida Qaumi Movement(MQM) is unlikely to budge an inch from their demands of unseating Zulfiqar Mirza as Home Minister and an open dissociation of PPP from Peoples Aman Committee at the level of PPP Co-Chairman and President Asif Ali Zardari. To keep the pressure on the PPP leadership, the MQM Rabita committee had decided to stay away from the proceedings of Sindh Assembly and upcoming sessions of National Assembly and Senate. In its continuation, MQM may remain adamant to its other demands in the expected meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari at Karachi in the coming week. 'MQM has almost made a strategy, which will be adopted, in the upcoming meeting as the party remains stick to its all of demands, MQM sources told The Nation. It is relevant to mention here that President Asif Ali Zardari had said that he would convene a meeting within a week of the Sindh Governor, Chief Minister and provincial leaders of the party to discuss solutions for issues raised by the MQM delegation. Sources said that MQM senior leaders would remain stick to their major demands including immediate removal of Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza, to hold fresh Local Bodies elections, disowning of Peoples Aman Committee at the level of President. It may be mentioned here that MQM had decided to quit the provincial government after the Sindh Home Minister declared Lyaris Peoples Aman Committee an affiliate of the PPP. The MQM characterises the Aman Commitee as a criminal gang that is behind extortion and kidnapping cases in Karachi. MQM delegation, sources said, in its recent meeting with President also shared list of criminals in Sindh province mainly Karachi and Hyderabad creating law and order situation. Sources said that the party had not received clear nod from President about the removal of Zulfiqar Mirza in the recent meeting, whereas it is likely be the main demand of MQM in its upcoming meeting with Zardari. Political pundits assumed that in the recent meeting Zardari had managed to get new life for the PPP-MQM alliance by giving yet another assurance to MQM leadership for fulfilling their demand, yet upcoming meeting could give him tough time. It would not be out of place to mention here that the romance between two parties was recently revived when Prime Minister visited nine-zero and won back MQM in the govt as a coalition partner. MQM had yet to take decision about rejoining the Federal Cabinet when another war of words was erupted by recent statement of Zulfiqar Mirza. Earlier couple of week ago, Rehman Malik alongwith Zulfiqar Mirza had visited Nine-Zero which created an impression that the widened gap between the two parties has bridged but the recent statement once again created another room of annoyance. Political analysts are attaching much importance to this upcoming meeting and assuming that MQM would demand practical and immediate steps on their some of demands. Sources said that the party might also hint about their options to once again part ways with the Federal government if all of demands were declined.

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