Staff Reporter
Karachi
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday announced that a meeting between Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, as well as other parties from Sindh in the centre as well as the opposition, will take place on December 5 in Islamabad.
Addressing a press conference alongside MQM convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui in Karachi, the foreign minister thanked the leadership of MQM for “standing by PTI in all its trying times”.
“In difficult times, they extended their cooperation and remain standing with us today. “We all are aware of the difficult circumstances in which Prime Minister Imran Khan took the reigns of power. There were internal economic challenges which are not hidden from anyone.”
“Today we have returned to stability. All the international financial institutions, World Bank, IMF, our stock exchange, our rupee which was artificially pegged to the market and has now seen an increase by Rs4-5, the rise in foreign investments, all point toward the fact that we have stepped out of the crisis.”
He said the task now was to work out how this stability can be converted into growth which can enable the government to meet the expectations of voters. “No doubt when one casts a vote, they have expectations.”
He said PTI and MQM members had overviewed the situation. “Their analysis and our analysis on the larger picture, whether it is the national picture, the economic picture, or the local government situation, is similar.” Qureshi said that keeping these facts in mind, the prime minister has extended an invitation for a meeting on December 5 to MQM as well as allies from Sindh in the opposition and those at the centre cooperating with PTI. Qureshi then invited Siddiqui to speak. “Our policy on national issues is very clear,” said Siddiqui. “We have always extended our unconditional support and will continue to do so.”
