ANP threat clouds MQM’s return

[ice_man]

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI – Though the PPP has almost persuaded the MQM to rejoin the government, the ANP’s stance that will quit the coalition if Mutahidda is brought back has delayed MQM’s return.
The reservations expressed by the Awami National Party (ANP) over the issue have almost halted the fast progressing process of Muttahida’s return as the party wishes not to be part of the government till complete settlement of outstanding issues, shared sources in political parties.
The relation between MQM and PPP were being repaired and even the tirade of senior PPP leader Dr Zulfiqar Mirza against the MQM had not gravely affected this forward movement as the PPP disowned his assertions, and Muttahida was almost set to rejoin the government in Sindh as well at the Centre. But the recent pressure of ANP on the PPP and its threats that it may quit the government has put the PPP in Catch-22 situation.
According to sources the ANP has conveyed to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani that they will quit the alliance at the central and provincial level, if the MQM is inducted into the coalition.
A day before Eidul Fitr Minister for Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan at a press conference had shared that MQM was satisfied with the action taken by the PPP leadership against Zulfiqar Mirza. “The PPP has seized the verbal tirade of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and restricted his outburst to him. The party would not allow anyone to promote his personal agenda through the party’s platform,” she had clarified on that occasion. It was also learnt that the resignations of MQM ministers have also not been accepted as yet.
The sources said that the MQM members were to be awarded the same ministries at Centre as they earlier held. They said that Muttahida was likely to rejoin the government before the National Assembly session starting today, but their dual with the ANP has changed the political scenario.
The central leader of ANP has also demanded a ban on MQM declaring it a ‘mafia-nourished, terrorist’ political party. This has created confusion for the PPP, which might not take any hasty step in this regard because it would not like to weaken its position in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where ANP is an important coalition partner.
In a tit-for-tat the MQM has also demanded a ban on ANP terming it a ‘terrorist party’. The MQM coordination committee members Yousuf Shehwani, Gulfaraz Khan Khattak, MQM Lahore Incharge Shaheen Gilani and MQM Ghotki Incharge Nooruddin Zangi in a joint statement issued from MQM office rejected the ANP’s allegations on MQM and said that everyone knows about the past of the ANP.
They said that Pakistani people were well aware of the ANP’s ties with India and Afghanistan and its involvement in terrorism in Pakistan with the help of these countries. They recalled that the Government of Pakistan had imposed a ban on ANP activities in 1970 for its involvement in terrorism and anti-state activities.
They demanded an immediate ban on political activities of ANP for its involvement in the criminal activities in Karachi.
“Its necessary to arrest the leaders of ANP over their relations with foreign countries,” they said, reiterating Altaf Hussain’s claim that ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan had taken millions of dollars to fulfil the US agenda. They said that MQM was a party of masses and enjoyed support of millions of people across the country. “Those who are hatching a conspiracy to get the MQM disbanded will not succeed in their evil designs.”
INP adds: MQM MNA Haider Abbas Rizvi has said that it is upon us whether to join ruling coalition or not and decision in this regard would be taken, keeping in view the party’s agenda and national interests.
Talking to a private TV channel here on Sunday, he said that for them national interests and party agenda hold more importance than the Ministries and power.
He ruled out any pressure regarding joining the government coalition and said that MQM is not dependent on others and free to decide about its future action according to the desires of the party Quaid and taking all the office-bearers into confidence.
Commenting over the concerns over Awami National Party (ANP) presence in government coalition, he said that we don’t need to take permission from ANP to join the coalition government.
ANP should concentrate to counter terrorism and alleviate corruption in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rather than indulging into unrelated issues, he stated.
The MQM leader said that if ANP kept its focus on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) then peace would be restored in Sindh as well.

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