ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

MQM pulls out of Sindh government, reduces Sharief's party to minority

The ethnic Mohajir Quami Movement has finally pulled out of the provincial government following resignations by all seven MQM ministers.

The MQM ministers tendered their resignations to the governor of Sindh, Moeenuddin Haider, after efforts by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief failed to dissuade the MPs from quitting the government.

The party cited non-implementation of its accord with the PML, and the continued killings of its party activists allegedly by intelligence agencies and rival factions, as the reasons that forced the resignations.

The MQM has some 27 members in the provincial assembly and its pullout has left Chief Minister Liaquat Jatoi as the head of a minority government with 15 PML MPs only.

With the MQM resignations, the Opposition Pakistan People's Party of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has emerged as the largest party with 35 MPs in the assembly.

But observers are sceptical of the possibility of a PPP-led government in the province amid speculation of the imposition of governor's rule in the province.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report