MQM delegation calls on PM Khan amid brewing tensions within ruling coalition

A Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) delegation on Monday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan at PM House in Islamabad to discuss issues pertaining to their coalition in the Centre.

The meeting came in the backdrop of rising tensions between the PTI-led coalition government and the opposition.

Despite serious differences over political issues in the recent past, the PPP and the PML-N were getting closer in their bid to give tough time to the government. Both the opposition parties were in hot waters as their central leaders were facing serious charges of corruption and money laundering.

During today's meeting at the prime minister's office, the two sides also discussed the challenges being faced by megacities in Sindh, including Karachi and Hyderabad.

The meeting decided that a committee will be constituted under the chairmanship of Sindh Governor Imran Ismael to strengthen the coordination between the two parties in connection with development projects on the provincial level.

The prime minister told the delegation that he realises the challenges being faced by the people of Sindh. "The federal government will play its role to resolve these problems," he said.

The two sides also decided that obstacles in the restoration of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) will be removed on a priority basis. It was also decided that the premier will lay the foundation stone of a university in Hyderabad.

Besides the Minister for Information Technology Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Minister for Law and Justice Dr Farogh Naseem and MNA Syed Ameenul Haq, the meeting was also attended by Minister for Finance Asad Umar, Special Assistant to PM Naeemul Haq and MNA Malik Mohammad Amir Dogar.

Since tensions brewing between the government and major opposition parties, coalition partners of the PTI were reminding the ruling party of the promises being made to them at the time of forming the coalition.

On Monday, Balochistan National Party (BNP-Mengal) leader Sanaullah Baloch said his party had decided to review its relations with the ruling PTI government in Islamabad following the by-election on a Senate seat in Balochistan.

On Tuesday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry visited the temporary headquarters of the MQM in Bahadurabad, where he discussed implementation on several decisions made between the two coalition partners a few months ago.

On the occasion, the federal minister had brushed aside the impression of any dispute or disagreement between the two sides. The minister had told reporters, “In today’s meeting, we have discussed and reviewed the memorandum of understanding which we signed at the time of formation of the government. Several points of the MoU have already been executed while others will also meet the same fate soon.”

Earlier in the same meeting, MQM's deputy convener Kanwar Naveed Jameel reminded the federal minister of promises of funds from the Centre for a public university in Hyderabad and other development schemes in urban Sindh.