From Zeeshan Mirza
karachi: Sindh government spokesperson Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Tuesday said that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) should stand by its decision to withdraw a minister from the federal cabinet, urging the party not to “compromise for the sake of another ministry”. “The federal government has failed to address Karachi’s concerns. I urge MQM to fight on behalf of Karachi and not compromise for the sake of another ministry. “If we all rally and unite behind this cause, the federal government will be forced to transfer the Rs162 billion which was allocated under the development programme,” he said. Addressing the media in Karachi on Tuesday, Wahab said that in his opinion, the MQM’s decision to give back a federal ministry was the result of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto- Zardari’s offer to give the party ministries in Sindh in exchange for breaking its alliance with the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) in Centre. “I urge the MQM to stand by their decision. They should stand with the people of Karachi. You are all aware of the promises Prime Minister Imran Khan made to the people of Karachi. “However, not a single one of those promises has been fulfilled, whether it was funding development programmes, funding the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, funding projects in Hyderabad or funding hospital in Mithi.” In a surprise move last week, MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had resigned as the federal minister for information technology because he said the ruling PTI “did not fulfil its promises”. But Siddiqui insisted his party would continue to support the Prime Minister Imran Khanled government.
