Pakistan: MQM-P threatens to leave PML-N-led govt over delimitation of constituencies

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 1 (ANI): The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has warned that it will quit the PML-N-led coalition government in the centre over its disagreement with the Pakistan People's Party on the delimitation of constituencies in Karachi and Hyderabad, The Express Tribune reported.

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi on Sunday, senior MQM-P leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stated that his party will quit the coalition government if the local body elections were held without conducting fresh delimitations of the constituency.

The statement of the MQM-P leader comes a day after Pakistan's Foreign Minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari announced that a 'jiyala' - a term politically related to PPP stalwarts would become mayor of Karachi in the local body elections due to the work carried out by Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and hard work of party workers, according to The Express Tribune.

"We received information through the media that the local body elections will be held on January 15. We are not officially an ally of the PPP, but we entered into an agreement with the PPP related to the Sindh," The Express Tribune quoted Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui as saying.

"The delimitations of the constituencies are controversial. Dozens of meetings have been held with the leaders of the PPP in which we demanded them to immediately change constituencies of Karachi and Hyderabad," he added.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stressed that his party was ready to contest the local body elections if they were conducted in a fair and transparent manner, as per The Express Tribune report. Raising the demand for conducting fresh delimitations, he stressed that union councils under the influence of MQM-P have a 90,000 population while other union councils were made on the basis of 20,000 to 25,000 people.

The MQM-P leader warned that they will hold protests on the streets if the constituencies are not fixed. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stated that the workers will decide whether to contest the elections while being part of the coalition government and protest after leaving the government.

"If the constituencies are not fixed then we will take to the streets and stage protests. It is up to the workers to decide whether to fight while staying in the government and or protest after leaving the government," The Express Tribune quoted the MQM-P leader as saying. (ANI)