We want to get our rights through vote, don't make us use road: MQM-P
Pakistan
Mustafa Kamal says people of Karachi visiting Lahore because PPP isn’t listening to them
KARACHI (Dunya News/Web Desk) – MQM-P Convenor Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Sunday said “they want to get [their] right through votes” and “they should not be forced to get [their] right by using road” [street power], as the party celebrated the latest sweeping victory in the megacity.
Addressing a rally, Siddiqui said the MQM-P representative also bagged the National Assembly constituency from Kemari – an area which mixed population from different ethnic groups – and they had started demolishing the obstacles created on the basis of hatred.
MAKE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS STRONG
However, Siddiqui also warned that they would leave the legislature without any hesitation if their rights were not accepted – a clear reference to making the local governments strong which is the basic demand and goal of the Karachi-based party.
In this connection, the MQM-P had earlier reached an understanding with the PML-N, which means Nawaz Sharif and his party will transfer financial and administrative powers to the local governments while giving these changes constitutional cover through an amendment.
The people of Karachi would have to support each other, said Siddiqui and told the charged supporters that the next 10 years belonged to them.
A ‘FREED KARACHI’
In his address, Mustafa Kamal – a senior MQM-P leader – said they had “freed” Karachi from the enemies and gained the snatched seats [mandate] in Feb 8 elections.
The Jinnah Ground had become a funeral place eight years ago, but Karachi was free again, said Kamal who they were labelled as traitors, adding that the rivals used to say that the MQM-P didn’t have the mandate.
He noted the people of Karachi were visiting Lahore because the PPP had not been listening to their demands – the comments after the MQM-P delegation visited Lahore earlier in the day to meet Nawaz about the government formation and future course of action.
The people had made it clear on Feb 8 that Karachi belonged the MQM-P and would remain so in the future too, he noted.
MINISTRIES AREN’T THE FOCUS
Earlier, MQM-P Deputy Convenor Farooq Sattar said their talks with the PML-N remained positive and the both sides focused on people’s problems, not the government formation or distribution of ministries, to find out ways and means for a joint struggle to achieve the aim.
The PML-N had agreed with the idea of constitutional changes for making the local governments strong, he said, adding that the country could not move forward without making progress on the issue.
