Bilawal invites MQM-P to join Sindh govt

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday invited Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to join Sindh government to run the affairs of the province.

“PPP is ready to give ministries to MQM in Sindh government if it ends alliance with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government,” Bilawal offered while speaking to media persons after the inauguration of four mega uplift schemes in Karachi.

“We are ready to give you the same number of ministries in Sindh,” Bilawal said, adding: “The PPP will support the toppling of PTI government”. He urged the MQM to topple the PTI government and join the Sindh government for the betterment of Karachi as well as for the rights of the people of Sindh. Bilawal said: “Prime Minister Imran Khan has committed fraud with every allied party.” “The federal government is not providing adequate funds to carry out development in Karachi. In future the provinces will be compelled to snatch the rights from the federal government,” he said. “The ministers who are against the development of Sindh should be thrown out of the parliament.”

The PPP leader said the public-private partnership introduced by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was necessary to carry out development works in the country, adding the PPP government was working with dedication with private sector to complete uplift projects in Karachi. Bilawal said the PTI government’s initiative to exclude deserving people from the Benazir Income Support Programme was not an appreciable move as it would deprive them of their right to get support from the government.

He said the step will affect the poor people and will plunge the country further into crisis, adding the PPP will challenge the move in the court and fight for the rights of the poor segment of society. According to Geo News, Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, who was present at the event, said it was the party that would decide on Bilawal’s offer. “MQM-P has never indulged in the politics of ministries and our support for PTI is based on Karachi’s issues,” Akhtar said. “However, we [MQM-P and PPP] can sit together for the resolution of Karachi’s problems.”

Akhtar also expressed his dismay over the federal government’s performance in Sindh, saying Karachi’s problems were discussed with senior PTI leader Jahangir Tareen but the party did not take any responsibility.