KARACHI, January 13: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said on Monday that there was “nothing sensational” in his press conference where he announced his surprise resignation as federal minister for information technology.
He reiterated that his party would remain an ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government. Siddiqui was speaking to the press after meeting a delegation of the ruling party led by Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Asad Umar in Karachi.
“We promised to support the government with our numbers and we will continue to do that,” said Siddiqui.
“We need to give the residents of Karachi the rights that they have been denied for decades, sadly […] and this is our mutual struggle,” Umar
said. The PTI minister, while terming the MQM-P’s demands as just, stated that he could understand the decision taken by the MQM-P convener to part ways with the federal cabinet.
“It is our wish that Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stays a member of the cabinet,” Mr Asad added.
The PTI minister further remarked that soon major projects would be initiated in Karachi, and the prime minister will visit the metropolis in the first week of February to inaugurate several projects.
Regarding the performance of Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Asad Umar stated that the governor has been doing “a great job”, and there was no plan of removing him from the post.
Asad Umar termed water supply “a major issue of Karachi”, and added that the second major problem was transportation.
“It is better that we work jointly for Karachi and Pakistan […] the center has granted Rs10 to 11 billion for the KFour projects,” he pointed out. “Soon a briefing will be given on projects costing Rs162 billion.”
On MQM-P’s reservations regarding Karachi projects, Umar reiterated federal government’s commitment and said many of the ‘smaller’ projects had been completed while comparitively ‘bigger’ projects were being worked on.
“PM Imran Khan will be inaugurating the projects early February. Initially, we planned to give media a tour of the completed projects, however, it was decided that a launching ceremony was a better idea.”
Trust me, he added, the projects will be worth more than Rs162 billion as promised. Umar said Karachi faced two major issues in terms of water and transport. “The National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) reviewed K4 project. It is now being reviewed by Sindh government-sanctioned technical team. Once they conclude their study, we will get it approved by Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).”
“The second issue is that of transport. We are working on a straight corridor with railways and maritime ministers, and public and private enterprises. The decision on Lyari Expressway and Northern Bypass will be taken later this month.”
Both Umar and Siddiqui told reporters that the meeting was pre-planned, rubbishing rumours that the Centre was holding negotiations with the MQM-P.-Sabah
