Govt's placatory efforts cut no ice with estranged Muttahida.

Byline: Azfar-ul-Ashfaque

KARACHI -- The federal government's efforts to pacify its four disgruntled allies have so far borne no fruit as a high-level negotiating team of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) returned empty-handed after holding a meeting with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's (MQM-P) leadership here on Saturday.

'We have discussed all points raised by the MQM-P and we reached a consensus on many issues. Soon a second session [of talks] will be held in Islamabad after which you [media] will hear good news,' Defence Minister Pervez Khattak told reporters after the meeting.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had formed a committee of his party's leaders, headed by Mr Khattak, to meet and address the concerns of his four coalition partners - Sindh-based MQM-P and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), Punjab-based Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-Mengal).

The four parties have openly expressed their grievances against the PTI government for failing to fulfil its promises with them. Except BNP-M, the MQM-P, GDA and PML-Q are part of the federal cabinet with two and one each federal ministry, respectively.

Khattak-led team returns empty-handed after holding talks with MQM-P leadership

On Jan 12, MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had announced his resignation as federal IT and telecom minister. Two days later, PML-Q's lone federal minister Tariq Bashir Cheema had skipped the cabinet meeting.

On Jan 15, the PTI committee held two meetings in Islamabad with the PML-Q and BNP-M in order to address their grievances. But, it appeared that the PTI allies were not ready to give any immediate concession to the government as the ruling party was expected to have a second round of talks with both the PML-Q and BNP-M.

Despite their reservations, none of the four parties have so far hinted at withdrawing their support to the government.

The collective strength of the four parties in the National Assembly is 24 - MQM has seven MNAs, PML-Q and BAP has five each, BNP-M four and GDA has three lawmakers - and the PTI government could fall the moment these parties left the coalition.

Visit to MQM headquarters

On Saturday, the PTI team headed by Mr Khattak and comprising PM's point man Jahangir Tareen, Federal Minister Asad Umar, Arbab Shahzad and others arrived at the...