KARACHI, April 6: Although the Muttahida Qaumi Movement said on Sunday its power-sharing talks with the Pakistan People’s Party had hit a snag over allocation of portfolios, PPP sources said a breakthrough was expected after PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari returned from Dubai.

The negotiation committee of the two parties held two rounds of talks but the third round did not take place on Sunday and MQM leaders said they were not interested in holding a ‘fruitless meetings’.

In a late-night development, the PPP sources said a power-sharing formula had been hammered out and it would be formally approved by Mr Zardari on his return here on Monday.

But MQM sources told Dawn that they were unaware of any formula and the party would convene an emergency meeting of its coordination committee to discuss if a formula was presented by the PPP.

They said that the PPP side was not serious in discussing a power-sharing agreement and it did not have any workable formula.

“They (the PPP) know what we want but probably they do not have any specific formula,” said a senior MQM leader who did not want to be named.

He said that the MQM did not field its candidates for the posts of speaker and deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly, but the PPP leadership was not prepared to accommodate the MQM in the new provincial government.

“The PPP side keeps on saying that the MQM will join the coalition government in Sindh. But they are trying to accommodate the Awami National Party (ANP) in Sindh cabinet which has only two seats. We have 51 members in the assembly and, therefore, they (the PPP) should give us a fair share on the basis of our parliamentary strength,” the MQM leader said.

He said talks between the two parties would resume but the PPP would have to come up with a clear line of action.

“Now the ball is in PPP’s court,” he said.

The sources said that the MQM would continue supporting the PPP and it was also considering not to field its candidate for the post of chief minister.

Earlier on Sunday, PPP leader Dr Zulfiqar Mirza told reporters in the Sindh Assembly that no power-sharing formula between the PPP and the MQM had been finalised.

“We want the MQM to take ministries in Sindh and will sit together and soon take a decision in this regard.”