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MQM poised to join federal govt
By Mazhar Tufail
Saturday, December 20, 2008
ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to join the federal government and it will be initially given four slots in the cabinet, sources told The News here on Friday.
The MQM has decided to join the government, confirmed a leader of the party, pleading anonymity. The MQMs decision comes nearly four months after the Nawaz League walked out of the ruling coalition at the Centre.
In the first phase, the MQM will be given four ministries, including the portfolios of ports & shipping, labour, manpower & overseas Pakistanis, women development and information technology, he disclosed.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik and Dr Asim, Chairman of the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), are said to have played a key role in bringing closer the MQM and the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party.
A source in the government, meanwhile, said the MQM was playing an important role in defusing the Pakistan-India tension following the Mumbai terrorist attacks. The government circles, the official said, were highly appreciative of the efforts being made by the MQM for the normalisation of Pakistan-India ties, which took a nosedive in the wake of the Mumbai attacks.
In an exclusive chat with this scribe, the MQM leader confirmed his party was striving for normalisation of relationship between the two countries. Yes, we are playing a role in improvement of Pakistan-India ties, he acknowledged.
However, this has nothing to do with our joining the government or having ministries. Our party will continue playing its role in bringing a thaw to the Pakistan-India relationship even if we dont join the government or get the ministries as it is our national duty, he remarked. Earlier, it was twice reported that the MQM was going to join the government but it did not happen because of reported differences over the portfolios offered to the party.
By Mazhar Tufail
Saturday, December 20, 2008
ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to join the federal government and it will be initially given four slots in the cabinet, sources told The News here on Friday.
The MQM has decided to join the government, confirmed a leader of the party, pleading anonymity. The MQMs decision comes nearly four months after the Nawaz League walked out of the ruling coalition at the Centre.
In the first phase, the MQM will be given four ministries, including the portfolios of ports & shipping, labour, manpower & overseas Pakistanis, women development and information technology, he disclosed.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik and Dr Asim, Chairman of the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB), are said to have played a key role in bringing closer the MQM and the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party.
A source in the government, meanwhile, said the MQM was playing an important role in defusing the Pakistan-India tension following the Mumbai terrorist attacks. The government circles, the official said, were highly appreciative of the efforts being made by the MQM for the normalisation of Pakistan-India ties, which took a nosedive in the wake of the Mumbai attacks.
In an exclusive chat with this scribe, the MQM leader confirmed his party was striving for normalisation of relationship between the two countries. Yes, we are playing a role in improvement of Pakistan-India ties, he acknowledged.
However, this has nothing to do with our joining the government or having ministries. Our party will continue playing its role in bringing a thaw to the Pakistan-India relationship even if we dont join the government or get the ministries as it is our national duty, he remarked. Earlier, it was twice reported that the MQM was going to join the government but it did not happen because of reported differences over the portfolios offered to the party.
What role MQM is playing for normalising ties between the two countries?
