MQM-P's Karachi sit-in postponed

Following a meeting with Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Mutahidda Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Saturday announced postponing its February 12 sit-in against the "controversial" local body (LB) polls, "flawed" delimitation and unfulfilled promises by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led provincial government.

Earlier, the political party had planned to demonstrate a massive sit-in at Fawara Chowk near the Governor's House. The leadership of the party, however, backtracked from its earlier decision after Tessori — an MQM-P leader — visited the party's headquarters in Bahadurabad.

Following the meeting with the Sindh governor, MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that the Tessori had visited the party's leadership with an "important message" from the centre.

Tessori, during the presser, said that peace exercises of the Navy were in full swing in the port city, in which delegates from more than 40 countries were present.

In response to the message, Siddiqui mentioned that despite "all preparations have been finalised" for the sit-in, the party has decided to postpone the protest at the governor's request.

"MQM-P demanded that the constituencies be fixed. I have also spoken to [Foreign Minister and PPP Chairman] Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in this regard," he said.

Siddiqui added that the party had taken the step under "great compulsion". Once the peace exercises are concluded, a new date for the sit-in would also be announced, he added.

The MQM-P convener said that Karachi is the economic, industrial, and ideological capital of Pakistan to date and that its "peace is linked to the peace of the entire nation".