MQM-P not to join Pak federal cabinet, extend outside support to Shehbaz Sharif government

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 13 : The MQM-Pakistan (MQM-P), which was a key constituent of the Imran Khan government, has decided not to join the federal cabinet and extend outside support to the government formed by new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Citing The News International, Geo News reported that MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that the party is more interested in getting commitments made by coalition partners fulfilled.
MQM-P was a key ally of the alliance led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its switching sides to the opposition parties led to the fall of Imran Khan government on Sunday.
Siddiqui said that his party had discussed the formation of the new cabinet with the leaders of coalition partners in detail, reported Geo News.
The MQM-P had two slots in the federal cabinet in the ousted PTI government. Syed Aminul Haque was the IT minister while Senator Farogh Nasim was the Law Minister, representing the MQM-P in the government.
Sources said the MQM-P was offered two slots in the federal government, Sindh's governorship and about half a dozen slots in the Sindh cabinet besides municipal charge of three big cities of the province including Karachi mayorship but no decision has yet been taken about assuming these assignments, reported Geo News.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is in consultation with the leaders of the coalition parties over the formation of his cabinet.
However, sources privy to the matter said that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is unwilling to be a part of the cabinet, saying that it would support the government from the treasury benches in a better way, reported Geo News.
According to the sources, one group within the party favours the idea of joining the cabinet to strengthen the coalition, while the other group is of the view that the party should instead focus on electoral reforms for early elections.
However, the final decision will be made by the party's top leadership.
Sources said the PPP was more interested in the constitutional offices of the parliament and it would join the cabinet in the second phase.
There is a consensus in the party on taking over the office of the National Assembly Speaker with Raja Pervez Ashraf and Syed Naveed Qamar as its candidates.
They claimed that Ashraf was a strong contender, while Maulana Asad Mehmood of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), the son of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, could be the Deputy Speaker, reported Geo News.