MQM-P skips meeting with PTI, GDA leadership.

Byline: Azfar-ul-Ashfaque

KARACHI -- Cracks appeared in the ranks of joint opposition in Sindh on Sunday as lawmakers belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) skipped an important meeting with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leadership on the March 3 Senate election a day after the MQM-P got an offer from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The MQM-P claimed that its representatives did not attend the meeting because of their 'organisational engagements'.

On Saturday, a delegation or provincial leadership of the PPP had visited the MQM-P temporary headquarters and offered the latter that it was ready to withdraw two of its Senate candidates if the MQM-P supported Yousuf Raza Gilani on an Islamabad Senate seat against Finance Minister Hafeez Sheikh of the PTI. The MQM-P sought time from the PPP to respond to its offer.

On Sunday, the Sindh chapter of the PTI arranged a luncheon for the party's chief organiser Saifullah Niazi, who arrived here from Islamabad to finalise the strategy for the Senate election with the MQM-P and GDA. The three parties, which are part of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, are contesting elections for five Senate seats from Sindh.

It indicates MQM-P is seriously considering PPP offer over Senate polls

While GDA leadership, including its Senate candidate Pir Sadruddin Shah, attended the luncheon, none of the MQM-P leaders and lawmakers reached the venue to attend the luncheon.

The absence of the MQM's lawmakers raised eyebrows and triggered speculations that the party was seriously considering the PPP offer.

Sources said that by staying away from the meeting, the MQM-P had expressed its unhappiness over certain remarks passed by the PTI and GDA leadership during two recent meetings. Therefore, it took time to clarify its position with regard to the luncheon meeting.

A spokesperson for the MQM-P issued a statement saying that its MPAs could not attend the PTI's luncheon...