MQM-P could not attend luncheon due to busy schedule: Mahmood Moulvi

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Senior Vice President of Karachi Division and Adviser to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Mahmood Moulvi has said Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) excused to attending luncheon hosted by PTI to discuss Senate polls, due to a busy schedule.

The luncheon was attended by Grand Democratic Alliance President Sadruddin Shah Rashdi, Hasnain Mirza, Shehryar Mehr, and others from the alliance.

Talking to the media after lunch at his residence, Mahmood Moulvi said that he had invited the parties for lunch in honour of the candidates standing for the Senate election. He said despite an invitation, the MQM-P delegation could not come due to a busy schedule.

The PTI leader further said that he prefers the party’s decision and that is why he withdrew as a candidate in the Senate elections. “Congratulations in advance to the PTI Senate candidates,” he added.

On this occasion, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi said, “MQM-P is PTI’s allies, however; its members were unable to participate in the session due to their busy schedule.”

He said that the opposition did not want to vote on the show of hands, because the opposition has been doing the politics of ‘Changa Manga’. “Congratulations to the PTI officials on being elected unopposed senator in Punjab,” he added.

“PTI is a democratic party and everyone has the right to disagree. There is no like PML-N to disagree with Mian Sahib and be expelled from the party the next day,” Ali Zaidi said.

Ali Zaidi said that he was grateful to Mahmood Maulvi for inviting them. “It is politically beneficial to have lunch in a good atmosphere and to sit in an environment where rumors are hot,” he added.

Political maneuvering is on the rise for the March 3 Senate elections and after the PPP, PTI has also become active in Karachi.

Earlier, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had offered two Senate seats from Sindh to MQM-P in return for the vote to Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) joint candidate for Senate polls, Yousuf Raza Gillani.