Maldivian opposition delegation calls on President

Qasim Ibrahim, the leader of the Jumhooree Party (JP) also known as Republican Party, one of the main opposition parties in Maldives, on Saturday called on Sri Lankan President Maithiripala Sirisena.

Former Police Commissioner of Maldives Ali Riyaz and JP spokesperson Ali Solih had also participated in the meeting – held at the Presidential Secretariat.

Ibrahim had shared his view on the current political situation in the Maldives with President Sirisena, Haveeru Online reported.

According to the report, the meeting was part of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and JP’s joint opposition effort ‘to defend and uphold the Maldivian constitution’.

A delegation from both the MDP and JP had recently arrived in Sri Lanka in order to brief the various diplomatic missions in Colombo on the current political situation in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

However, the MDP’s delegation had not participated in the meeting with President Sirisena, the report said.

The JP leader is also scheduled to meet with other foreign ambassadors on Saturday.
 
The delegation is headed by JP leader Qasim Ibrahim and former Parliament Speaker of Maldives Abdulla Shahid – a member of MDP - and also includes Malé City Mayor Mohamed Shihab and JP’s Deputy Leader Dr Hussein Rasheed Hassan.

Former Maldives president Mohamed Nasheed was arrested by police last Sunday on terror charges for having detained a top judge while in power.

On Thursday, the Sri Lankan government issuing a statement expressed its concern over the developing situation in Maldives following the arrest.