ISLAMABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has reacted positively to Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s statement welcoming it into an ‘opposition alliance’, but has said it is not ready to join any move to topple the government.

“We recognise PML-N’s mandate and will definitely cooperate with the party on the opposition benches in parliament, but we do not believe in plans to topple governments to achieve certain political goals,” MQM spokesman Wasay Jalil said while commenting on Mr Sharif’s indirect offer to the party to join an anti-government alliance.

Talking to Dawn on Sunday, Mr Jalil said the MQM had not received any formal offer from the PML-N, adding that the media would be informed about the party’s decision whenever such an offer was received.

He said the PML-N was the largest opposition party and the MQM was ready to work under it on the opposition benches.

The PML-N chief, talking to reporters after presiding over a party meeting in Lahore on Saturday, had expressed readiness to join hands with the MQM while “welcoming” it into what he called a grand political alliance “to rid the nation of the present government”.

Mr Jalil categorically stated that there had been no thinking in the MQM that the government should be removed before completing its term. However, he said, the party would continue to play its role of a ‘constructive’ opposition party.

The MQM spokesman said his party had always criticised wrong steps and policies of the government even when it was part of the ruling coalition. And now when the MQM is in the opposition it will continue to do the same with the support of other opposition parties.

When his attention was drawn to his party’s bitter relations with the PML-N in the past, he said MQM had nothing personal against anyone.

He, however, said the PML-N owed an answer to the nation as well as the MQM about its role during an army operation carried out in 1992 when Mr Sharif was the prime minister.

Mr Sharif’s statement came a day before the departure of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for London on a week-long visit amid speculations that he might meet MQM chief Altaf Hussain. A PML-N spokesman, however, said no such meeting was scheduled in London.

Meanwhile, official sources said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had handed over the additional charge of the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, earlier held by MQM’s Babar Ghouri, to Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain, indicating that this time the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has little hope of MQM returning to the government.

The MQM, which announced quitting the PPP-led coalition governments at the centre and in Sindh last week in protest against its alleged role in the postponement of elections on the two seats of the AJK Legislative Assembly in Karachi, has already submitted an application to the National Assembly speaker and the Senate chairman for allocation of seats on opposition benches.