KARACHI: Interior Minister Rehman Malik partially won over his party’s dissatisfied former ally, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, as the two agreed on Saturday to summarize dialogue and head towards a possible seat adjustment in the upcoming elections.
In a three-and-a-half hour meeting held between Malik and MQM chief Altaf Hussain in London, the two leaders concurred to set their deviations away and get back to talks on challenges.
Saturday’s meeting was the first for a leader from the ruling Pakistan People’s Party to meet with the MQM chief, whose party resigned from the government last month over the secession of cases against Lyari criminals.
The MQM chose to sit in the opposition, in both the national and Sindh assemblies.
The leaders decided that even though both parties would competition the polls individually, they could possibly agree on an adjustment on certain seats in the general elections.
Passing on a affable message from the president to the MQM chief, Malik said: “Although the two parties have ended their alignment, good relations established between them during the last five years have not been ruined.”
In agreement, Altaf said that his party would maintain amiable ties with the PPP for the nation’s interest and would continue to promote peace and stability in Sindh.
“The MQM believes in continuing good relations with all forces in the country that promote democracy, including the PPP,” Altaf said.
