Round Table Conference PTI says ‘no’ to MQM

Posted on 9 months ago

F.P. Report
LAHORE: Refusing an invitation from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) delegation to attend its proposed round table conference (RTC), Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf's (PTI) leadership has categorically said it would neither join the agenda of any of the government's allies nor would it trust the parties that didn't implement parliamentary resolutions.
An MQM delegation headed led by Federal Minister Farooq Sattar and consisting of Raza Haroon and Wassay Jalil held talks with PTI President Javed Hashmi and Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi here on Tuesday at the PTI office. According to PTI sources, the MQM delegation failed to persuade Imran Khan's party to attend the proposed MQM conference. They claimed that Imran's absence from the meeting was a clear indication that the PTI would not attend the RTC.
However, the PTI sources say that a decision regarding the party attending the conference will not be taken till after consultations with the top leadership.
The MQM delegation's visit was meant to push forward the political reconciliatory process and formally invite the PTI to its proposed RTC as part of its effort to evolve consensus on convening an all parties conference to resolve problems the country was facing.
Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting, Javed Hashmi said PTI would contest the elections independently and not form an alliance with any party.
He said the political contact effort by Muttahida leaders was intended to steer the country out of its difficulties, however the PTI was prepared to talk with political parties other than from the government to rescue the country from its crises.
Speaking at the same occasion, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said he welcomed the fact that a coalition partner of the government was concerned about the country's problems.
Farooq Sattar said it was high time for all parties to sit together to address issues that the country faced, adding that the MQM and PTI share the same opinion on many national issues. Following the meeting with PTI leaders, Farooq Sattar invited Imran Khan and PTI leaders to visit Nine Zero, upon which the PTI leaders said they would convey the invitation to the top leadership.
Members of the MQM had also met President Asif Ali Zardari in Karachi, the Jamaat-e-Islami in Lahore and the Awami National Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid in Islamabad in July.

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