ISLAMABAD - JAVAID-UR-RAHMAN - As Manzoor Wasan, Home Minister, Sindh, has left on one-month official leave, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has once again geared up efforts to clinch the slot, which it is likely to get soon after the end of ongoing Liyari operation in Karachi.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is most likely to get the slot of Home Minister Sindh but after the ongoing operation in Lyari as the ruling party (PPP) has almost been convinced to give this important position it member of its allied party (MQM), sources in MQM told TheNation. The portfolio of Home Ministry after the official leave of Wasan is now currently under the control of Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah.
Muttahida has already conveyed its demand to the PPP’s leadership to replace incumbent Home Minister Manzoor Wasan with the nominee of Muttahida ‘to better control law and order situation and nab extortionists in Karachi’, they said.
If the portfolio is not given to Muttahida, sources said, the party might adopt some serious steps to detach itself from coalition of the ruling party. The party is interested to get Home Ministry but after this Lyari operation as it don’t want to indulge in any controversy about the operation, they added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Muttahida has time and again expressed dissatisfaction over worsening law and order situation in Karachi for last over two months. MQM had built pressure on PPP for the appointment of their nominee, as they are not happy with the performance of Manzoor Wasan.
Earlier the party had once announced to boycott President Zardari’s address to record its protest over Sindh’s government’s inaction over the rising incidence of extortion in Karachi, but taken back its decision when Zardari telephoned Altaf Hussain late into the night before his address.
After the PPP succeeded in wooing Muttahida on the eleventh hour, the MQM members showed no sign of estrangement. They said that Muttahida would devise any future strategy before the upcoming budget 2012-13, if their demand to replace Sindh home minister was unmet.