Stalemate in PTI talks with MQM-P persists.

Byline: MUHAMMAD SABIH

Karachi -- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is still unable to make any progress in wooing the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan to remain part of its allies in the federal government as MQM-P chief Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui is unwilling to retake his ministerial portfolio.

A PTI's delegation yesterday held talks with Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and his associates here but failed to convince them to rejoin the federal government, while the ruling party's delegation believed that 'good discussion was held' but Dr. Maqbool Siddiqui had refused to take charge as the federal minister.

The PTI delegation led by Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak and comprising senior leader Jahangir Khan Tareen, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Firdaus Shamim Naqvi and others called on the MQM-P chief and other leaders at the party's headquarter in Bahadurabad.

Later, Pervaiz Khattak told the media that both the parties have come very close to the solution as all the problems were deliberated in the meeting 'held in very a pleasant manner'.

'We were, we are and we will be the coalition partner forever and will give a good news soon,' he said.

The defence minister said their visit to the MQM-P headquarter was the continuation of the procedure of the committee formed by Prime Minister Imran Khan to hold talks with the coalition partners.

He said the MQM-P didn't withdraw its support to the federal government as Siddiqui had resigned just as minister. 'We held meetings with our all coalition partners and no party is going to leave the government and we all would complete five-year tenure in a coalition government' he added.

Khattak said the next round of the talks with the MQM-P was going to be held in Islamabad when we will be sorting out remaining problems including the missing persons' issue and closure of MQM-P offices.

The MQM-P convener said 'positive headway and healthy...