KARACHI - Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader and Federal IT Minister Aminul Haque on Wednesday has blamed that efforts have been made in Sindh province to threaten and buy party lawmakers ahead of the Senate elections. 

He blamed that Sindh government and Asif Zardari is trying to force lawmakers to vote for the PPP candidate and in order to avoid such acts, the MQM-P has supported Senate polls through open ballots.

This is not the first time that an MQM-P leader has conveyed regarding approaches being made by some people to their lawmakers, luring them to vote for PPP candidates in return of monetary benefits. 

Faisal Subzwari, who is an MQM-P candidate on general seat, has claimed during a talk show on a private channel that one of their lawmakers was approached for voting against the party lines.  Further speaking, Aminul Haque while announcing the polls strategy said: “We have decided on the Senate ticket on merit and both MQM-P and PTI will support each other in the polls.” 

He said that the PTI would support MQM-P on a seat reserved for women while they would support the PTI candidate on technocrat seat and a general seat.        

“We can successfully win five out of 11 seats in Senate elections from Sindh province,” Amin ul Haque said. 

He further said that MQM-P condemns the arrest of Opposition Leader Haleem Adil Shaikh and demands removal of anti-terrorism clauses against him. “The PPP should avoid fueling political difference to an extent, where it could not suffer from its consequences,” he said while urging the PPP to avoid crossing red lines in politics.

He said that PDM candidate from Islamabad seat, Yousuf Raza Gilani, has telephoned him for seeking support in Senate election. “I have informed MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui regarding the contact,” he said. 

Moreover, MQM-P leaders Amir Khan and Abdul Qadir Khanzada have withdrawn their nomination papers on general seat.