Friday, November 18, 2011

Tempers fray ahead of Mirza?s address


LONDON/ISLAMABAD ? With his guns pointed at MQM, Zulfiqar Mirza Wednesday landed in London as part of his plans to spread the political hurricane to party?s headquarters there while leaving the eye of storm back home in Pakistan where the disillusioned coalition partner recognised the PPP as the real instigator of the ?mischief?.
The ranks of threatened MQM levelled allegations of betrayal on the PPP yet reached out for help to ruling party?s bigwigs in desperation, expressing serious reservations over ?official protocol? and presence of PPP ministers with the former Sindh home minister, who contacted Scotland Yard in London and was set to speak in the House of Lords Wednesday night to provide evidence against MQM chief Altaf Hussain.
Altaf Hussain spoke to President Asif Ali Zardari over phone on Wednesday, understandably to ask him to save him and his party from any possible damage at the hands of the firebrand who is still considered a close aide of the PPP co-chairman. The president?s office though kept off from revealing any details of this conversation but said in a statement that both leaders discussed the prevailing political situation. Sources said that President Zardari allayed the fears of the MQM chief and assured him of all help.
MQM leader Babar Ghauri Wednesday asked the government if Dr Zulfiqar Mirza enjoyed its backing and demanded an explanation from the PPP leadership on presence of Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon with Mirza in London. Ghauri told the media outside the Parliament House on Wednesday that Mirza was seen off at Karachi airport by PPP supporters.
Ghauri added that the MQM met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for a detailed discussion and the prime minister assured that an investigation will be conducted on the issue. ?We have expressed our concerns during a meeting with the prime minister. We asked the prime minister about the capacity in which Sharjeel Memon was accompanying Dr Zulfiqar Mirza.?
He said the Supreme Court had prohibited wielding of weapons openly in public but last night during a big public meeting weapons were exhibited with impunity. No action was taken by police or Rangers against them, he regretted. The prime minister has assured us of addressing our concerns and ordered Interior Minister Rehman Malik to take action on display of arms and against the people who have been arrested, he added. The MQM delegation comprised Dr Farooq Sattar, Nadeem Ehsan and Babar Ghauri. A meeting of an MQM delegation with the president was also expected.
On the other hand, MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari Wednesday said that his party had conveyed its concerns to CM Sindh in regard to Sharjeel Memon being seen with Mirza during the latter?s visit to London. Talking to reporters following a meeting of MQM delegation with Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, the MQM leader said they had come to meet the CM on one point agenda to convey his party?s concerns.
?MQM is not only concerned but also in doubts over the issue,? he said. However, he added, that MQM did not believe in politics of confrontation. The MQM, Sabzwari said, had registered its protest with the CM and now the ball was in PPP?s court. ?Let?s see what action they take to redress our concerns but I say it with regret that some people don?t want to see peace.? The MQM leader believed that whenever a foreign visit was to be undertaken (by a member of Sindh cabinet) it had to be on a formal permission of the chief minister. But he expressed surprise that the CM had no knowledge of his information minister visit to London.
Meanwhile, Dr ZulfiqarMirza was scheduled to speak in the House of Lords in London at 11pm (PST) on Wednesday where he is expected to provide evidence to the House against MQM and its chief Altaf Hussain. Mirza also contacted the Scotland Yard in London after his arriving there from Karachi via Dubai and said he would be holding a meeting with the police officials on Monday.
Talking to newsmen at Heathrow airport, Mirza said that during his address in British House of Lords, he will provide evidence to the House against Altaf Hussain regarding the murder of MQM leader Dr Imran Farooq. ?I will tell the authorities here that Britain is becoming a reason for terror in Pakistan by giving shelter to the accused,? he claimed.
At the Karachi airport before departure, Mirza told the media that he was going away for a week and the people of Pakistan were going to hear good news a breakthrough in the Imran Farooq murder case. ?I have two briefcases stuffed with proof which will help the Scotland Yard police,? he said.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, along with PPP MPAs Imdad Pitafi and Fayyaz Bhutt, accompanied him to the airport. Sharjeel and Patafi even arrived in London on the same flight as was taken by Mirza and sources said they had plans to accompany Mirza during the address to the House of Lords. However, after ?serious concerns? shown by the PPP leadership, Memon had reportedly decided to return to Pakistan, saying that he would be coming back on the first available flight. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah took a ?strict notice? of the presence of Memon and Patafi in London with Mirza and it was decided that show-cause notices will be served on the two PPP lawmakers.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/today-headlines/~3/hs5unkjb0_U/Tempers-fray-ahead-of-Mirzas-address

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