ISLAMABAD: All major coalition partners have reaffirmed their loyalty to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led federal government in the upcoming Senate election, which is scheduled to take place tomorrow (March 3).
Addressing a joint press conference in Islamabad on late Monday night, Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication and MQM-P leader Syed Aminul Haque said that all coalition partners are on the same page. “We will support the ruling PTI in the elections for the upper house of parliament,” he added.
Haque was flanked by Federal Minister for Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leader Fehmida Mirza, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Tariq Bashir Cheema and others at the presser.
The MQM leader further said that despite the party’s reservations with the PTI, it had decided to support the ruling party in the elections for the upper house. “We had never talked about governorship or any ministry with the ruling party but about the issues people of Sindh were facing,” he added.
Lashing out at the PPP, the federal minister said that the ‘corrupt’ Sindh government had ‘destroyed’ the province. “In 13 years, they did not provide 13 gallons of water for Karachi and neither did they give 13 buses for Karachi,” he claimed.
“I want to make it clear to the Sindh government; no one will be allowed to interfere in Karachi’s development,” he warned, adding that all of MQM-P’s provincial lawmakers were standing behind the PTI.
Taking over the presser, Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Fehmida Mirza said the government was passing ordinances as it was facing hurdles in the National Assembly.
Fehmida said that her party believes in proportionate representation whether it is Sindh, Balochistan and K-P assemblies or Senate. “A government can only work with the continuity of policies,” she added.
Hafeez Shaikh, addressing the presser, said the government wants to ensure that transparent polls take place. “We want the members of [national and provincial] assemblies to live up to the aspirations of the people,” he added.
“The people of Pakistan want the leadership to be honest and subservient to the citizens. Our intentions are good and we hope that we will rise up to the expectations of the people,” he concluded.
