Senate chairman election: No breakthrough after talks between PPP, MQM

A delegation of Pakistan Peoples Party reached Bahadurabad on Tuesday, the headquarters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan.

The delegation included Nasir Hussain Shah, Murtaza Wahab and Sharjeel Inam Memon. On arrival at the MQM headquarters, newly elected Senator Faisal Sabzwari, Kanwar Naveed Jamil and Khawaja Izharul Hassan received the delegation.

In the meeting, the PPP leaders sought the assistance of the MQM with reference to the Senate chairman election.

Later, leaders of both parties held a joint press conference.

Sindh Minister for Information Nasir Hussain Shah said that Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's vision is a vision of development. A lot of work has been done, but some issues need to be resolved and positive progress will be made on them.

He said that politically, PPP's doors are always open for talks. "We have come to the MQM, albeit late, but to ask for support in the Senate chairman election.

Shah said that MQM did not support Yousaf Raza Gillani before but hoped that it would now support him for Senate chairmanship.

MQM leader Aamir Khan, meanwhile said that "there is no pressure on us".

"In the last election, we had voted for PPP candidate Saleem Mandviwalla."

He said that both the parties have agreed in the meeting that they will work together to find a solution to the problems, adding that the pace of implementation of federal projects is slow.

The Senate elections for chairman and deputy chairman are due on March 12. The government is backing incumbent chairman, Saleem Mandviwalla, whereas the opposition alliance has named Yousaf Raza Gillani as the candidate for chairman and JUI-F's Abdul Ghafoor Haideri for deputy chairman.