Pakistan: MQM-P and PPP hold talks on Senate chairman poll

Siddiqui said this while addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside PPP's Yousuf Raza Gilani, who became a senator after the win in the March 3 elections on a joint opposition ticket, hours after he (Siddiqui) and other MQM MNAs cast their votes in favour of Prime Minister Imran Khan in a vote of confidence in the National Assembly enabling him to win the trust vote.

Siddiqui said the MQM's doors were open for all political forces and ideologies, adding that "dialogue between us is very important for Pakistan's politics and democracy", revealing that the MQM, had itself invited Gilani since he was a possible candidate for the Senate chairman election.

He thanked the PPP delegation for coming and said the MQM had also called a meeting of its Coordination Committee to discuss various issues such as the Senate chairman election after which it would reach "a final decision".

Gilani said the PPP had already met the MQM at a provincial level, following which he and the PPP chairman were given the go-ahead to meet them. He said he was thankful to the MQM for its support during his tenure as prime minister when the PPP needed support for constitutional amendments, and that they had "done a lot of work together".

He further added that the PDM would decide on a name for the position of the Senate deputy chairperson based on a consensus in the upcoming meeting of the opposition alliance's leadership. He said he would put forward the wish of the MQM to be given the position in the PDM meeting.