Faction-riddled MQM Pakistan displayed unity among its ranks with a large rally at Karachi’s Liaquatabad area on Saturday.
To win back some turf on the political ground after rifts, MQM planned the rally at famous Tanki Ground, a few days after PPP’s gathering on the same venue.
MQM’s leaders showed unity against PPP and PSP and hit out at the political opponents.
“This enthusiasm and energy is unprecedented and the rally is historic. We were united and will be united,” said MQM’s former deputy convenor, Farooq Sattar while addressing the gathering.
He said the party’s support and vote bank in the city is ‘intact’.
“PPP has challenged us… We had been batting for the last one year, but now it’s time to bowl,” he said.
About recent rebellion against him in the party, Sattar said “position is nothing to me; the only thing we value and care about is honour and dignity.”
Without naming Mustafa Kamal-led MQM splinter group, PSP, he said the party is ‘substandard product’ of a factory.
Sattar hoped that those workers who changed their loyalties and joined PSP would return.
He criticised PPP for ‘sowing the seeds of hatred’ against those who created Pakistan.
“Women of Liaquatabad are asking why PPP has not arrested killers of Benazir Bhutto.”
He claimed that MQM is strictly pursuing the policy of nonviolence since Aug 22, 2016 – after parting ways with its London-based founder Altaf Hussain.
Amir Khan, party’s deputy convenor, took a dig at Mustafa Kamal’s PSP and said the ‘parachute party’ didn’t contest a single election but has 17 MPAs.
“All the MPAs will come back to MQM-P,” he claimed.
Another senior leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said today’s rally is a message to their opponents that they are still united and won’t let down the people of Karachi.
“We don’t want any leader but the destiny,” said the MQM leader, altering an old party slogan “humain manzil nahi rehnuma chahiye”.
“There is no leader in the party. All of us are workers.”
Siddiqui said they will approach the Supreme Court against the ‘flawed’ delimitation exercise.
Waseem Akhtar, who is mayor of Karachi, addressed the rally and criticised PPP leadership.
“Bilawal Bhutto wants to become next prime minister but still he doesn’t know many things. He is learning politics,” Akhtar said.
“They talk about Karachi’s municipal affairs but people of Sindh ask when will they get Roti, Kapra and Makaan? They have even no concern about dying children in Thar,” he said.
The MQM stalwart said “like other cities of Sindh, PPP also wants to ruin Karachi. The PPP government separately allocated Rs.90 billion for Larkana but of no use.”AFP