[CHEAPSOFTOEMONLINE]

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement boycotted on Tuesday a lunch hosted by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and a meeting of the parliamentary group of coalition parties, but its members did not walk out of the joint sitting of parliament during President Asif Ali Zardari�s speech. The MQM members arrived in the house, albeit at the last minute, reportedly after a little persuasion by government members led by Interior Minister Rehman Malik. Commenting on the president�s address with reference to government�s actions in Karachi, the leader of the parliamentary party of MQM, Dr Farooq Sattar, said: �Actions must speak louder than words.� He was sceptical of the president�s assurances about ending target killings and �extortion� which, he said, were destroying the edifice of industry, trade and business in Karachi. The MQM leader warned that the wheel of development in Karachi had been jammed by frequent breakdown of law and order and his party was under tremendous pressure from industrialists, businessmen and traders to take stern action against �extortion� mafias and restore peace in the city. He said assurances alone would not work because dozens of workers of his party had been slain after similar assurances made six days ago.
By: Dawn News