The MQM-P will vote for PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari in the presidential election, party convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said on Thursday after a delegation led by Sindh-ruling party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other allies called on them in the federal capital.

“Thanks for coming. We are with you. We will support Zardari Sb in the presidential election and will vote for him,” MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, alongside PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday.

The meeting was held after a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for coalition partners. He described the Karachi based party’s demands as genuine and urged them to vote for Zardari.

The PPP co-chairman would be up against Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai on March 9.

Siddiqui started his media talk by saying that his party has extended support in the past, citing that it was MQM-P that first proposed Zardari for president’s seat in 2013.

Bilawal thanked the MQM-P for their support and added that both parties were interested in resolving the issues in Karachi.

He added that he was looking forward to the government’s focus on Karachi, Pakistan’s economic hub.

“We hope this time also that we will make Zardari win elections with a high mandate,” Bilawal said.

Maqbool was of the view that democratic forces should continue dialogue despite their differences.

Shehbaz vows to steer country out of crisis

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has affirmed his government’s commitment to steer the country out of the economic crisis through collaboration with all coalition parties.

Speaking at a dinner given in honour of coalition parties and parliamentarians in Islamabad, he emphasised the importance of the coalition government and stressed the need for honouring the mandate bestowed by the people of the country.

Highlighting the significant challenges confronting Pakistan, he likened them to the towering Himalayas but expressed confidence that with firm dedication and sincerity such challenges can be tackled effectively.

Expressing grave concern over the negative indicators of the economy, Shehbaz said that the gas and electricity circular debt amounts to Rs5 trillion. Similarly, electricity theft has risen to Rs500 billion and the debt of Pakistan International Airlines stands at Rs825 billion.

To address the issue of economic deprivation, he expressed a desire to broaden the country’s tax net, noting that Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio is significantly lower compared to neighboring countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hailed the eighteenth amendment as a landmark achievement in the country’s constitutional history. He expressed confidence that Asif Ali Zardari, upon assuming the presidency, would play a crucial role in strengthening the federation.

He described the role of Zardari as Queen of England.