KARACHI, Sept 3: President Asif Ali Zardari expressed the hope on Monday that Pakistan People’s Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement would soon be able to reach an accord on the new local government system in Sindh leading to local bodies’ elections in the province.

The president, who presided over a meeting of PPP and MQM leaders at the Bilawal House here, discussed with them the issue of local bodies and law and order in the province.

The discussions were held amid reports that there was a deadlock on the issue of subjects devolved to provinces, especially portfolios relating to social services.

Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani recently said that 20 per cent issues pertaining to the provincial government would be resolved by higher level leadership of the two parties.

On Sunday, PPP members of the core committee met the president and briefed him on the talks held with MQM.

Before meeting President Zardari, members of the core committee reportedly held separate meetings at the Chief Minister’s House and Governor’s House, attended by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, respectively.

Those who attended the meeting with the president included Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Dr Asim Hussain, Dr Farooq Sattar, Babar Khan Ghouri, Pir Mazharul Haq, Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, Agha Siraj Khan Durrani, Rafique Engineer, Rashid Hussain Rabbani, Abdul Qadir Patel, Dr Sagheer Ahmed, Muhammad Kanwar Naveed and Raza Haroon.

The meeting discussed issues relating to the local government system, local bodies’ elections and law and order situation in the province.

President Zardari stressed the need for the two coalition partners to work jointly for peace in the province, especially in Karachi, and to strengthen the political process. He said the PPP believed in pursuing the policy of reconciliation and taking its allied parties along on all matters of national importance.

He said the fragile law and order situation in Karachi demanded all political forces to work together for peace in the city. The president said the political forces should support efforts of law-enforcement agencies to maintain peace. He claimed that protecting lives and property of citizens was the priority of the government.

Although none of the participants was prepared to say anything about the talks, it was learnt that Dr Farooq Sattar raised the issue of killings of MQM workers and failure of the government to arrest any culprit. On the issue of new local government bill he is reported to have informed President Zardari that the core committee had sorted out different issues but matters relating to social services were yet to be resolved.