950805

Bukhari may

be allowed to

travel to

London

SIKANDER HAYAT

ISLAMABAD: Federal Government may allow Shoaib Bukhari, a member of the MQM team for negotiations with the Government on the Karachi imbroglio, to proceed to London for consultations with Altaf Hussain.

Bukhari, who happens to be on the Exit Control List (ECL) was barred the other day from boarding a flight for London. Leader of the MQM team Ajmal Dehlavi later sought official waiver on Bukhari's travel abroad.

The change of heart on the part of the Government seems to have come in the wake of the deadlock that has hit the Government - MQM talks, spelling out nation-wide frustration. A member of the official team, Zuhair Akram Nadeem, therefore, got in touch with Ajmal Dehlavi and late Friday night, he briefed N.D. Khan, the leader of the Government team, on telephone, about his meeting with Dehlavi.

Talking to reporters on Saturday N.D. Khan said Zuhair Akram Nadeem was mandated by the Government to approach Dehlavi to help overcome the irritants that stand in the way of resuming the talks. "Nadeem assured Dehlavi if the Altaf Group brings in the next round clarifications on the six points the Government will stop calling the MQM as Altaf Group.

However, N.D. Khan feared that Shoaib Bukhari's visit to London is likely to delay the resumption of the talks, saying the MQM could send somebody else in order to save time.

N.D. Khan also took exception to the Altaf Hussain's open letter to President Farooq Leghari, saying the letter to the head of state was uncleared for because the issues raised by the MQM Chief in his communication could be dicussed at the talks.

The Minister had a reply to the question as to why the police and Rangers should keep up the operation simultaneous to the government desire to go the talks to continue. His perception was that "law enforcement and conducting dialogue are different jobs".

N.D. Khan held consultations with Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on the possibility of resuming the talks and conveyed to reporters that the Government's approach is liberal. We believe in quid pro quo of which we made clear to the Altaf Group a number of times.

"Why is the Altaf Group shy to reply our six points which pertain to the very basic philosophy of the creation of our country," Khan asked.