F.P. Report
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Sunday announced that he was resigning from his post as Minister for Information Technology.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Siddiqui said: “We had supported [PTI] in forming the government. We are not taking back our cooperation.”
Siddiqui said that holding the post in the federal ministry was “raising a lot of questions”.
At the outset of his address, the MQM-P leader said when his party became part of the government, they had promised to provide their support in forming the government and had promised to support them (PTI) in every difficult stage.
“We have fulfilled our promise and intend to fulfil our promise,” he said.
Siddiqui lamented that after 16-17 months, not even one point regarding the conditions in Sindh had seen progress.
“At this point, it becomes difficult for me to remain in the government, that I [continue to] hold a minister’s position, and people in Sindh continue to face the conditions they did before we joined the [federal] government.”
According to the MQM-P leader if they had seen “some seriousness” on these matters they may have waited a little longer.
“The lack of seriousness on these matters left us no choice,” he said, adding that MQM-P’s Rabita Committee (Coordination Committee) had held a detailed discussion on Friday after which they had concluded that it was useless for him to hold the minister’s post.
He reiterated that the party was not ending its cooperation with the government.
Siddiqui clarified that over the past few days there had been an offer of ministries from “somewhere else”.
“Today’s announcement has no connection to that,” he said.
Siddiqui appeared to be referring to PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s recent offer to MQM-P of ministries in Sindh in exchange for the party breaking off its alliance in the Centre with the ruling PTI.
On December 30, 2019, Bilawal had said: “Topple it, topple it, topple Imran’s government.
“We will give you equal number of ministries in Sindh. The only condition is that you send Imran home.”
Following the PPP leader’s offer, MQM-P had not outright rejected the offer but described it as a “non-serious attempt”.
