MQM rejoins PPP-led coalition, rejects comeback to Cabinet

Tribune

KARACHI: The MQM Rabita committee has decided that the MQM will rejoin the government, but will not currently return to the federal cabinet. This was announced at Nine Zero by MQM leader Raza Haroon, following a key visit by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Haroon said the decision to return to the government benches was taken in light of the state of crisis the nation is going through. Haroon said he hoped the government would come up with a plan to weed out and reduce corruption, and address the needs of the people.

He claimed that the party had “decided to sacrifice” itself again for the sake of democracy and join the government in view of the “deteriorating law and order situation and economic conditions of our people”.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Gilani said he spoke to MQM Chief Altaf Hussain on the telephone where he told the MQM chief that the government would like to work with the MQM on all major issues.

A visibly relieved prime minister said “We welcome the MQM decision and appreciate their sentiments for democracy in Pakistan and hope our association will last long in the larger interest of the people of Pakistan.”

“Through consensus, we withdrew the petrol price hike, which was one of the MQM’s principal demands… This is Pakistan’s first assembly to take all actions with consensus,” Gilani said.

With regards to the reformed general sales tax bill (RGST) Gilani said that he reassured Hussain that the government would not move forward on the bill without consensus. The prime minister invited Hussain and all parties to take part in formulating the RGST bill in order to ensure transparency in its finalisation and implementation.

Gilani and his aides were showered with rose petals upon arrival at the Pakistan headquarters of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) — symbolically his first visit to the premises since becoming premier in 2008.

The MQM had walked out of government last Sunday, taking its 25 lawmakers on to the opposition benches. The move saw Gilani lose his majority in parliament and raised fears that his administration could be forced to call early elections.

In public, the party had attributed its decision to a hike in fuel prices and government failures to handle fiscal reform, corruption and inflation.

With the MQM lawmakers off the opposition benches and back on the treasury benches, Gilani leads a coalition that again controls a slender majority of around 185 seats in the 342-member lower house of parliament.

Fazl refuses to rejoin govt, soften stance on PM

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Dawn

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday requested Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to rejoin the coalition government. However, the JUI-F chief rejected the request and said his party had ratified the move and would not change its stance in the current circumstances.

Rehman Malik had made the request during a meeting with Fazlur Rehman at the latter’s residence, DawnNews quoted JUI-F sources as saying.

Later on, a delegation of 10 MNAs from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) also met with Fazlur Rehman.

In his meeting with the MNAs from Fata, Fazlur Rehman rejected their request for the JUI-F chief to soften his stance toward Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Fazlur Rehman said he would not change his posture as “the prime minister had sabotaged the Pakistan People’s Party’s reconciliation policy”.

Fazl hints at rejoining coalition government

Daily Times
* JUI-F chief says govt following policies of former dictator


LAHORE\Peshawar: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman signalled that he could join rejoin treasury benches again if his demands were met, a private TV channel reported on Sunday.

Addressing a JUI convention at Shahi Bagh in Peshawar, he said his party did not separate from the government because of dismissal of a minister. The government compelled the party to part ways, he added.

The government did not honour its promises made with his party. “We are not extremists. We have honoured all promises made with the government. It is the government, which deviated from the promises made with the party,” Fazl said. “We have no lust for power, but I assure you that in the greater interest of the country, the JUI-F could review its decision to quit the government,” the channel said.

He flayed the PPP-led government for carrying out US-backed war on terror in the country, demanding that the National Assembly’s resolution should be implemented. “The government should respect and implement the unanimous resolution passed in the National Assembly against US drone strikes,” he said. Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer called the blasphemy law a black law and such a person should not be on a high post, he added.

He said amendments to the blasphemy laws and reforms in seminaries were made on US advice. Fazl said the government was following the policies of former dictator Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf.

He said he would announce the future course of action of his party on January 9 and launch a move the same day. The JUI-F chief said the economy was in the hands of the IMF. “The government is imposing RGST on US pressure,” he said. JUI-F General Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Haideri announced a countrywide strike on December 31.