MQM pullout will not affect ruling party's hold on power

The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) government faces no threat to its hold on power as a result of withdrawal of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) from the ruling coalition. However, the ruling party has vowed to exhaust all efforts to win back its estranged partner. Even without the MQM, the PPP enjoys a comfortable majority both in the National Assembly and the legislature of the southern Sindh province. In the 342-member National Assembly, the PPP and its allies the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Awami National Party (ANP) together command support of around 200 lawmakers. In Sindh, the PPP has more than 100 members sitting on the treasury benches in the 168-member provincial assembly. PPP central information secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira Tuesday said no effort would be spared to convince the MQM to reverse its decision announced on Monday, which the party linked to the postponement of elections for two Karachi seats in the Kashmir legislative assembly. MQM's three federal ministers have sent their resignations to the presidency in Islamabad while 13 provincial ministers have forward their resignations to acting provincial governor Nisar Khoro. Two remaining MQM provincial ministers will resign on their return from London, party sources said. Khoro, speaker of the Sindh assembly, stepped in on Monday as acting governor after Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad, the MQM governor, resigned and left for London for consultations with party chief Altaf Hussain. PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani following the MQM's withdrawal. Sources said he had assured the prime minister that the PML-Q would solidly stand by the government. From / Gulf News