According to sources the PPP leader and Advisor to Prime Minster on Interior A. Rehman Malik and Babar Khan Ghouri of MQM held talks to break the ice in negotiations between the two parties. Sources said during the meeting it was decided that a 13-member provincial cabinet including 12 ministers from PPP and one from ANP will be sworn in on Friday while the two parties would keep the process of negotiations on until reservations of MQM are completely addressed.
The oath taking ceremony would be held on Friday at 3:00pm at Governor House, they added. It must be recalled that the reconciliation process was hit by snags on April 7 when MQM boycotted the Sindh Assembly sessions in protest of manhandling of former Sindh Chief Minister Dr Ghulam Arbab Rahim.
Sources said the two leaders deliberated upon various issues ranging from formation of government in Sindh to the fate of Sindh Governor slot. They said the issue of distribution of ministries in Sindh also came under discussion during the meeting.
According to sources the PPP side was offering at least six ministries to the MQM of its own liking with the latter stressing upon retaining all previous provincial ministries except home ministry along with keeping the governorship in Sindh.
Sources in the MQM headquarters, nine-zero, confirming the discussion said there was nothing new in the development as Rehman Malik has been in touch with the MQM leadership for the last two years.
They said the MQM self-exiled leader Altaf Hussain had specially lauded Malik for his prolonged efforts on bridging differences between the two parties during the PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari visit to nine-zero. The PPP leader Nabeel Gabol, however, expressed his ignorance about any such development.