KARACHI - JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman reached Karachi on Monday and expressed the hope that he will convince MQM to withdraw the resignations.
The federal government has tasked him to help end the gridlock regarding resignations issue and he will hold a key meeting with Muttahida Qaumi Movement leaders at Nine-Zero today (Tuesday) morning.
The lawmakers of Karachi-based party have tendered resignations from their seats in the National Assembly, Senate and Sindh Assembly, but the resignations are yet to be accepted.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl leader told the media that during his telephonic conversation with MQM chief Altaf Hussain it was assured that MQM is not against the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi, and he is visiting Karachi with high hopes.
“If there were not hope then I would not have come here… I am playing a mediator for the sake of the good of parliament and democracy,” said JUI-F chief, adding that he is in touch with the prime minister regarding the MQM demands.
Sources said that the JUI-F chief will be accompanied by Federal Housing Minister Akram Durrani and JUI-F Sindh leadership during his visit to MQM headquarters, and the delegation will be welcomed by the MQM senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar and MQM Coordination Committee member Kanwar Naveed Jameel.
Sources said during the meeting MQM reservations over ongoing target operation that include illegal arrest of MQM workers, extrajudicial killing, issue of missing workers and formation of the Monitoring Committee would be discussed.
JUI-F Chief will also discuss the Federal government stance over the MQM move and convince them to withdraw their resignations before their approval.
While the MQM had also made arrangements to welcome their guest and meeting of the delegates with the families of the missing workers is also scheduled.
On the other hand that there were reports that JUI-F Chief had refused to visit Nine-Zero and insisted to hold the meeting at a neutral place possibly at a govt guest house.
However, MQM has insisted the JUI-F chief to visit Nine-Zero for the meeting as it has been a tradition that all the political parties had visited Nine-Zero for the negotiations on various issues in the past.