Muhajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) – Haqqiqi chief Afaq Ahmed has hinted at a reconciliation between his faction, MQM-Pakistan, and Pakistan Sarzameen Party (PSP).
Mr. Ahmed, while speaking to reporters from his residence, stated that he was open to the prospect of talks between the three parties to help unite Karachi’s vote bank against PPP for the upcoming elections,
“It is essential that all the stakeholders unite to save the Muhajir nation’s share in the politics of the country,” he stated, adding that when India and Pakistan could hold talks, why the MQM factions, who also have a violent past, can’t?
Mr. Ahmed expressed a theory of his that there was an ‘artificial political vacuum’ being induced in the city by the policy makers of the country
His comments seem to have confirmed the suspicions of some who have been speculating that the rival offshoots of MQM were in the middle of talks. This is being considered as an attempt to consolidate the ‘Muhajir’ vote in Karachi for the upcoming elections which is forecasted to be favorable for parties like PPP and PTI in Karachi.
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Mr. Ahmed expressed a theory of his that there was an ‘artificial political vacuum’ being induced in the city by the policy makers of the country with the aim of forcing a puppet leadership in the veil of PSP onto it. Interestingly, back in 1992, he was accused of being the same whose strings were being pulled from somewhere else.
His talk gave the impression of it being rehearsed. During the talk, he addressed the PSP as his ‘younger brothers’ and apparently spoke from his experience when he advised the PSP leadership to make sure that whatever they are asked to do from a certain quarter in the establishment should not conflict with the interest of the Muhajir nation.
Reports suggest that meetings have been held at neutral points between the MQM-Pakistan and MQM-Haqiqi leadership with the mediation of their mutual friends over a possible merger. The two have extended their willingness to do so but a disagreement remains over the leadership.
The MQM-Haqiqi chief said the parties could also form an umbrella organization to tackle the challenges of the hour, adding that a merger was not necessary for a ‘reunion’. He said that parties like PPP, who have no interest in the wellbeing of the citizens of Karachi, were using government resources to fund their campaign in the city.
Zardari should have resisted the posting of a non-resident person, Mohammad Zubair
Commenting on a possible future course, he said that the parties could also agree on a seat adjustment in the upcoming general election as, according to him, there was no other way out to save the mandate of the urban populace of Sindh.
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Afaq also extended his invitation of a coalition to PPP Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari. He said Zardari should have resisted the posting of a non-resident person, Mohammad Zubair, as the Sindh governor. “There could be only one natural alliance in the province and that is between Sindhis and Muhajirs” he concluded.
Recent events indicate that MQM has arrived at the conclusion that in its current state of disarray it has no chance of receiving the mandate of the people of Karachi
Following incendiary anti-Pakistan remarks of MQM chief Altaf Hussain, the Pakistan-based faction decided to break away from his leadership. Farooq Sattar, a previously die-hard loyalist of Altaf Hussain, renounced his former leader and took over as head of the MQM-Pakistan faction. The third offshoot, PSP, is headed by Mustafa Kamal, a popular figure in Karachi who had previously served as Mayor of the city.
Recent events indicate that MQM has arrived at the conclusion that in its current state of disarray it has no chance of receiving the mandate of the people of Karachi, thus it struggling to find cohesion before it is engulfed by a PTI or PPP wave in the 2018 elections.