PM directs PTI leadership to remove MQM (P)’s political reservations

Prime Minister Imran Khan has on Sunday directed PTI leadership to clear political reservations of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan).

Bol News reported that PM has directed Governor Sindh Imran Isnail to contact Muttahida Qaumi Movement (Pakistan) Leadership.

Prime Minister said MQM (P)’s demands are lawful, the present leadership will keep all the promises made to the party.

Earlier, MQM-Pakistan Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui resigned as federal IT minister, saying the ruling PTI has not fulfilled some promises.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Siddiqui said his sitting in the cabinet is useless.

Today’s announcement has nothing to do with rumours spreading, he said, adding that they will maintain the alliance with the PTI.

He did not clarify whether Law Minister Farogh Nasim would also resign. He said that he was the MQM minister in the cabinet, not Nasim.

Everyone knows we did not ask for the law ministry, said Siddiqui, adding that they did not submit Nasim’s name for the post.

We told that in order to uphold the principles of democracy, law, justice and accountability, the government needed a lawyer like Nasim, he explained.

The government acted according to its needs, according to Pakistan’s needs and Pakistan’s needs are our needs, he said.

Siddiqui said his resignation was the decision of the MQM’s Rabita Committee.

There no use of my being a minister, he said, adding that they will, however, continue to cooperate with the PTI.

The government needed help and they’re getting it, and they will continue to get it, he said. But sitting in government and waiting for a year and a half is useless, said Siddiqui.

He cited more funds for Karachi as one of the demands they had made to the government. When it’s paying 89% of your sales tax, what is the rest of the country doing, he asked.

Becoming part of the federal government meant it was our responsibility to put the issues of Karachi before the government, he said.

When they said they need money for Kartarpur to promote a softer image, we said yes and cooperated, but the country’s economy runs on Karachi’s back and it isn’t getting the money it needs, said the MQM-Pakistan chief.

In 16 months, we haven’t seen anything done to fulfill the government’s promises of doing something for Karachi, said Siddiqui.

We had lots of hope and still do, but we aren’t seeing anything done, he said of what the government promised the MQM.

He also said that the MQM not completely satisfied with the results of the 2018 elections but it supported them to uphold democratic norms.