Bilawal Bhutto: 'Coalition once MQM retracts on Sindh's breakup, martial law'

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was "keen to join" the government in Sindh, but added the caveat that the party would have to address the PPP’s reservations regarding controversial statements in support of martial law and calling for the break-up of Sindh.

The two parties are currently engaged in talks for forging a coalition in Sindh but neither of them has said a word as to what prompted them to engage in the process for having a fresh alliance, which is seen to be not that necessary for the ruling party.

Issuing a statement via his Twitter account, Bilawal said it may not be possible for the PPP to ally with the MQM and invite it to join the provincial government without retracting statements in support of martial law.

The PPP leader’s statement comes days after MQM chief Altaf Hussain urged the armed forces to not follow any ‘anti-state orders’ of the government in relation to sending troops abroad. Hussain’s statement has been viewed largely in reference to the reported shift in government’s policy over Syria in the aftermath of $1.5 billion ‘friendly donation by Saudi Arabia’.

Bilawal also said that the MQM would have to retract statements calling for a break-up of the Sindh province, without which its inclusion in the government could become an impossibility.

The party has on occasions issued controversial statements suggesting Sindh be divided. Earlier in January, the MQM chief had called for splitting the province into two parts: “If Sindh's urban population is not accepted by the PPP and is not given its due rights, then there should be a separate province for these people. Sindh must be split into Sindh One and Sindh Two.”