rediff.com: MQM decides to sit in opposition in Pakistan parliament

The 17-member strong Muttahida Quami Movement on Wednesday decided to sit in the opposition in Pakistan's parliament.

The sudden move has put a question mark on the survival of the newly formed civilian government headed by Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, which is holding a razor thin majority.

The MQM also decided to occupy the opposition benches in the Sindh legislature, saying its workers were being intimidated by rivals and unable to move freely in Karachi's 'no go' areas. Ban on their entry was lifted last week, as promised by President Pervez Musharraf.

The move is being seen as pressure tactics to get the chief ministership of Sindh with the provincial assembly poised to meet on Thursday.

The MQM has also decided not to vote in elections for the posts of the speaker and the deputy speaker of the Sindh assembly.

The party, however, has not given a formal notice of withdrawal of support to the Jamali government.

MQM supported Jamali last week after the Musharraf government lifted the 10-year ban on the party to enter into 'no go' areas controlled by its rival MQM-Haqiqi faction under official protection.

Jamali came to power on November 23 with a one vote majority in the 342-member National Assembly following a last minute decision by the MQM to support it from outside.

Jamali was also supported by 10 defectors from former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party.

The MQM had struck a quid pro quo deal with the PML-Q over chief-ministership of the Sindh province, where the PPP has emerged as the single largest party with 51 seats in the 130-member assembly.

The MQM's decision would be a boost to the PPP, which is struggling to keep some of the elected members of Sindh assembly from defecting to PML-Q. "We will certainly try and form a ministry with the help of the MQM," its spokesman Faratullah Babar said.

Meanwhile, the elections for the speakers of the Punjab and the North West Frontier Province assemblies were completed on expected lines.

Muhammad Afzal Sahi of the PML-Q was elected speaker of the Punjab assembly by securing 243 votes in the secret ballot.

The party is sure of forming a government in the largest province of the country.

The PPP and the PML-N, headed by deposed premier Nawaz Sharief fielded a joint candidate for the post, who polled 108 votes.

In the NWFP, bordering Afghanistan, Bakht Jehan Khan of hardline Islamist party alliance Muttihda Majlis-e-Amal, has been elected speaker of the assembly with 91 votes in the 124-member House.

His election paves way for the MMA to form its government in the volatile province. The MMA's chief ministerial candidate, Akran Durani, has already made it clear that his government would halt Pakistan-United States joint crackdown on the Al Qaida and Taliban militants who are believed to hiding in the tribal areas in the borders.

"We will neither allow our land to be used for terrorist activities, nor will we allow any operation particularly involving FBI agents. People who vote for the MMA have voted against such actions," he was quoted as saying.


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