The Convener of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui Thursday said, his party had not made an agreement of loyalty with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) but the agreement was about developing the urban areas of Sindh.
Talking to the media at an event of Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation, Siddiqui said they hoped that after stealing MQM-P’s mandate from Karachi the PTI would feel shameful and deliver at least in Karachi.
He reiterated that the people of Karachi contribute 70 percent of the net collected taxes but in return they did not get a corresponding level of development.
“Earlier we used to think that PTI is inept, inexperienced and under some compulsion. But later we understood that they had no intention to serve Karachi,” he maintained.
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He went on to blame the PTI for considering the missing persons belonging to MQM-P as some terrorists and justified incarceration of his party’s workers.
The party’s chief said in a similar vein they made the Pakistan Peoples Party accept a set of their demands for which they earlier used to protest against the PPP’s Sindh government.
He added that they would continue in the coalition if their demands were accepted and implemented upon.
“We have made the national leadership to accept the problems, crimes and injustices that have been happening with the urban centers of Sindh,” he maintained.
“We have given our demands in writing. If these are refused, we will refuse the government and if they are accepted we will listen to the government,” he made clear.
Has the most important demand of the people of urban #Sindh been put before the govt & opposition parties by the #MQM leadership?
Are the government or the opposition ready to accept the demand for a separate province comprising urban areas of Sindh?#PPP #PTI #Pakistan #Karachi https://t.co/kYlUjMiawD— Imran Hussain (@HussainImranVOK) March 29, 2022
He said one of their principal demands was carrying out a renewed population census so that the new general elections could be conducted on the basis of the new voter lists.
“In the next general elections MQM-P will not be contesting against any political party but against the policies. We will hopefully take back the seats which were snatched from us,” he asserted.
Responding to a question about governorship of Sindh, the MQM-P’s convener said the governor was a powerless and titular position.
He believed that the governors should have authority over the issues pertaining to human rights and justice.
“If they talk to us in this regard about empowering the governor then we will be ready to discuss,” he told.
Siddiqui said Hyderabad had been in the front line of the MQM-P and due to the services of the city the party’s leadership was in the hands of the politicians who belong to Hyderabad.
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He took pride that his party and its welfare arms like KKF served the people throughout the year and that during the time of elections their party’s leaders were not under compulsion to reach out to the people because they always stayed connected with them.
Earlier he also addressed the KKF’s annual charity program.
The head of KKF Dr Tahir Khanzada and office bearers of MQM-P also expressed their views.
Courtesy: APP