• MQM-P delegation holds ‘productive’ meeting with Nawaz, Shehbaz
• Comprehensive charter to address Sindh’s woes expected in 10 days
• Amin clarifies only ‘seat adjustments’ agreed upon

LAHORE: In a surprising turn of developments, the “ele­c­toral alliance” announced by the PML-N and MQM-P on Tuesday appears to have been downgraded to “seat adjustments”.

The announcement of the electoral alliance, seen as a first step towards countering the PPP in Sindh, came against the backdrop of a cold war between the PML-N and PPP, with the second-tier leadership of PPP accusing the Nawaz-led party of being in cahoots with the security establishment.

Late in the night, however, senior MQM-P leader and former federal minister Amin-ul-Haque clarified that it was not an electoral alliance as both parties would contest the Feb 8 election on their respective election symbol.

“We will definitely have seat adjustments, where required, and form a post-election alliance with the PML-N,” he told Dawn.

The PML-N also aims to shape a four-party alliance in Sindh. Other potential allies are the MQM, JUI-F and the Grand Democratic Alliance led by Pir Pagaro.

The PPP, however, sees the footprints of ‘someone else’ behind this move.

On Tuesday, a three-member MQM-P delegation comprising Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar, and Mustafa Kamal called on the Sharif brothers — Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif — in Model Town Lahore and pledged to go along with their party before and after next year’s elections.

After the meeting, the PML-N declared that both parties had decided to form an electoral alliance in light of an understanding reached in April last year when the MQM had joined the Shehbaz-led coalition government.

In a joint statement, both parties agreed to adopt a “joint strategy” to put the country back on the road to progress. “A six-member committee will be constituted to prepare a comprehensive charter to address the problems in Sindh and its urban areas. It will present final proposals for co­­operation between the two parties to the leadership within 10 days,” it said.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, PML-N’s Saad Rafique said his party and MQM-P would contest the upcoming polls jointly. He said this understanding was reached at the time when the MQM had joined the PDM coalition government.

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Mustafa Kamal forewarned: “This is perhaps the last chance for us (politicians) to sit together and steer the country out of crises.” Mr Kamal claimed that the MQM would manage to get its share in Karachi, which it had in the 2013 polls.

Farooq Sattar said, “No political party alone is in the position to bring the nation out of the current crises. Therefore, there is a need for a larger alliance.”

It may be noted that ever since the caretaker government took oath, ties between the PML-N and the PPP have not been cordial. The PPP has accused the PML-N of colluding with the establishment to become part of the federal caretaker government, fearing polls may be compromised.

In a bid to counter the PML-N, the PPP has hinted at an electoral alliance with the embattled PTI, whose leadership is in jail in connection with cases instituted after the May 9 riots.

Since the PTI is facing the ire of the establishment, some political observers believe that the PPP may invite trouble in its bid to woo the PTI without the approval of the powers that be.

Seperately, former FIA chief Bashir Memon, who joined the PML-N over a month ago, has been made the party’s Sindh chapter president. Shah Muha­mmad Shah gets the vice president slot.

Asked why the PML-N ignored its diehard workers in Sindh and gave preference to retired civil servant, Saad Rafique said, “It is not a crime to be a bureaucrat as the party loyalists will be accommodated in the committee.”

Azfar-ul-Ashfaque in Karachi also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2023