KARACHI, Pakistan: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain has offered the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold its rally at Jinnah ground in Karachi’s Azizabad area; however, he asked the party to ensure sanctity of grand historical
monument placed there to commemorate 20,000 martyrs.
In a statement issued on the MQM website on Wednesday, Hussain said that if the PTI leaders insist on holding their rally in Jinnah ground then the MQM should be given time to make proper arrangement for protection of the monument and would request the PTI to ensure its sanctity.
The MQM chief said that the PTI holds its rally elsewhere then the MQM would cooperate with the PTI in providing whatever assistance and cooperation it would need.
Hussain further said that he was extremely sad on the tragic incident took place between the residents of the NA-246 constituency and the leaders and workers of the PTI on Tuesday.
A PTI delegation led by its candidate Imran Ismail came under attack when it visited the Jinnah ground where the party plans to hold a rally on April 19 ahead of the April 23 by-election in NA-246 constituency.
“He did not want to blame anyone for this incident as his intention is noble and he wanted a free and fair elections to be held in peace,” Hussain said.
Hussain also instructed officials and workers of the MQM to demonstrate the patience and restraints they exercised yesterday and refrain from confrontation at all cost.
The MQM chief requested the Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad and the Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah to hold an emergency meeting of both parties and formulate a code of conduct for the bye-election.
Altaf Hussain also asked for the constitution of a committee comprising three empowered members of the Election Commission that would report any violation of the code of conduct to the Election Commissioner and forward copies to the governor and chief minister of Sindh.
Sindh governor defuses tensions between PTI, MQM
Meanwhile, the Sindh government held a meeting between representatives of the PTI and the MQM on Wednesday at the Governor House in Karachi in an effort to defuse rising tensions between the two parties.
Following the successful meeting, leaders of both parties agreed to formulate a code of conduct for the upcoming by-election in NA-246 constituency.
