Eyeing Karachi, PML-N & PPP trade barbs

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: With the general elections date fixed, Karachi has become a centre of political realignments with former allies, PMLN, MQMP and PMLF, holding meetings and discussing alliances or seat adjustments for the upcoming polls.

However, the PMLN activities in Karachi have annoyed Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which reacted sharply on Sunday, saying the Nawaz-League turns to people of Sindh and Karachi only during the election years.

PMLN’s Khawaja Saad Rafique, former National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq and other party leaders visited the MQMP’s Bahadurabad office in Karachi on Sunday. However, they turned down rumours of “seat adjustments” with the MQMP, following the agreement reached between the two parties for an electoral alliance in Sindh.

Last week, the two parties had announced to joint contest the upcoming general election, scheduled to be held on February 8 next year.

Flanked by MQMP leaders, Saad Rafique clarified on Sunday that no talks had been held between the two parties on the issue of seat adjustments, adding, “Two teams of PMLN and MQMP are working [regarding their electoral alliance and future strategies].”

While holding a press conference with Ayaz Sadiq and other PMLN leaders at the Karachi Press Club, Rafique revealed that the party was trying to establish a political alliance in Sindh and had also reached out to the JUIF and Pir Sahab Pagara of Pakistan Muslim League Functional (PMLF) in this regard.

Shedding light on the party’s manifesto, Rafique said the PMLN would focus on the country’s judicial system and the issue was likely to be the top priority in their election manifesto.

He also addressed Karachi’s local government issue, saying that reforms were direly needed. “Unfortunately, the country has not adopted the local government system in its true essence. The local government system should be efficient and helpful for people,” he added.

Saad Rafique said minus of anyone was not included in the agenda of PMLN. “We are grateful to all those people who believe Nawaz Sharif will become the prime minister again,” Rafique said. He said the PMLN would correct the mistakes that had been made in the past and socio-political relationship would be promoted. He said the PMLN was making political and social contacts in Karachi.

“We went to meet Pir Sahib Pagara, where we had a positive discussion. This will go ahead. If the PMLN government is formed, various constitutional amendments will be made,” he added.

Saad Rafique said the biggest city of Pakistan had been turned into ruins. It was the biggest city of Asia but had been neglected by every government, he said adding “We have made a future roadmap for its development”.

Rafique said political differences aside, dialogue amongst political forces should also continue. He regretted the PTI had made politics of Pakistan dirty.

Ayaz Sadiq said he would not talk of bitterness. He would keep gossip away from politics. He said he had stayed in Balochistan for three days and more people would join the PMLN, he hoped.

“We have been in contact with GDA as well. Our discussions with them have started and a decision will be taken when time comes.”

He said it had already been decided with the JUIF and MQMP that they would contest the elections together. “This time, our full focus is on Sindh. We have fully supported the PPP government during our time,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, MQMP Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said political parties should accept and acknowledge each other’s mandate.

While calling for constitutional protection for local bodies, he stressed that a caretaker setup should be put in place once the local bodies’ tenure expires.

On the other hand, reacting to statements of the PMLN leaders in Karachi, PPP leader Sharjeel Memon said the Nawaz League had always come to power through rigging, which was a bitter truth, but the PPP wanted to move forward. “With whichever party PMLN makes an alliance, PPP will make a clean sweep in the upcoming elections,” he claimed.

The PMLN had always remembered the people of Sindh during the election years, he added.

Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Sharjeel said the PPP had built houses for poor people of urban and rural population of Sindh. And those ruling the Punjab had never built even proper hospital facilities for people. How many houses has PMLN built for people who could not afford them, he raised a question.

“Incapable people were imposed on the country in 2018, and we do not want to repeat the same mistake in 2024,” he said.

Meanwhile, PPP Secretary General Nayyer Hussain Bukhari Sunday questioned the Election Commission’s silence over the political gathering at the Governor’s House in Lahore for deciding the award of party tickets, ahead of the upcoming elections.

In a statement, he also objected to PMLN Senator Ishaq Dar for continuing in the office of Leader of House in the Senate and said the caretaker prime minister could not nominate the leader of a political party in his place.

“Why is the Election Commission not seeing that Senator Ishaq Dar is using office of leader of house in Senate unconstitutionally and illegally?” he asked.

He said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would not be selected but elected prime minister through the vote of people of Pakistan.

Bukhari said after coming to power through vote, the PPP would ensure self-sufficiency in agriculture and industrial development. He said the PPP would participate in the elections based on its performance for protecting the Constitution, and public services. He said PPP had firm belief that the political and economic stability would come only through parliamentary democratic system.