Pak: Zardari seeks time from MQM-P over demands of delimitation of constituencies

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 3 (ANI): Former Pakistan President and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has sought more time from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) over their demands regarding the delimitation of constituencies and local body elections, Geo News reported.
Asif Ali Zardari stated that MQM-P is an ally and will continue to remain so. He assured MQM-P that the issue will be resolved in two or three days, according to Geo News.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have failed to address the reservations of the MQM mainly on the issues of delimitation of constituencies and upcoming local government elections in Karachi.

On Monday, Asif Ali Zardari presided over a round of talks at Bilawal House. As per the news report, the negotiations between the two parties remained inconclusive, as per the Geo News report.

PML-N representatives Rana Sanaullah and Ayaz Sadiq as well as MQM-P representatives Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Faisal Sabzwari, Wasim Akhtar, Jawed Hanif and Khawaja Izharul Haq participated in the meeting. Sindh Chief Minister and his cabinet members represented PPP in the meeting.

Both PPP and PML-N have said that the reservations of the MQM-P would be addressed according to the law as deliberations would be held to find a way out. Talks among the political parts which are part of the PML-N-led government in the Centre could be held in the near future to address the reservations of the MQM-P.

The MQM-P leadership said that they would decide on the matter only after consulting their party workers. The MQM-P leaders have raised the demand that the PML-N and the PPP follow the agreements they had signed with the party, according to Geo News.

Furthermore, the leadership of MQM-P said that they had serious reservations regarding the existing delimitation of the constituencies in Karachi which should be rectified, as per the news report. They stressed that the MQM-P was willing to participate in the local government elections and that its demands regarding the delimitation of constituencies were according to the law.

On January 1, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) threatened to quit the ruling coalition if the second phase of the local government elections in Karachi were held without changing the present constituencies, The Express Tribune reported

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi on Sunday, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stressed that his party was even ready to contest the local body elections on January 10 if MQM-P’s demand for drawing out fresh constituencies in the city is addressed.