Staff Reporter
Karachi
PML-N leaders, who are currently in Karachi on a two-day visit, met with senior politicians from the city to chart a consensus for Pakistan’s political future.
A PML-N delegation, under senior party leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal, met estranged MQM leader Farooq Sattar at his residence to extend a conciliatory hand.
On the occasion, Abbasi recalled that party leader Nawaz Sharif had asked Sattar to join the PML-N, and said the invitation stands till date.
“We haven’t extended an invitation to Sattar today, but continue to hope he will join the PML-N one day,” said Abbasi.
Abbasi said Sattar has made a major contribution to the country’s politics and his addition to the PML-N will fortify the cause of democracy.
“We will also learn how to do politics from him,” the former prime minister said in a lighter vein.
Abbasi said that for the first time, political parties are not holding any talks, adding that the ruling party is generally expected to extend an olive branch to rivals. ‘Consider Shahid Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal my seniors’
Sattar also spoke to media, saying he was glad to receive the PML-N delegation, noting that he has previously worked with them in parliament.
“I consider Shahid Khaqan and Ahsan Iqbal my seniors,” said Sattar, adding that everyone should be on the same page for the issues faced by Karachi. The federal government should give jobs to the people of Karachi and Hyderabad, he said.
The PML-N delegation later arrived at the Idarah Noor e Haq, where they met with Jamat-e-Islami leaders.
Hafiz Naeem, who welcomed the PML-N delegation, said that the party’s leaders had visited the institution to condole the death of former Karachi mayor Naimatullah Khan.
During the visit, Abbasi said the PML-N delegation came to meet the JI leaders and offer condolence upon the direction of their party President, Shehbaz Sharif.
“The work late Naimatullah Khan did for Karachi is exemplary,” said the senior PML-N leader.
Abbasi said that every stakeholder needs to unite for the betterment of Karachi.
