Muhajir brotherhood withering away, what's next?

The political opponents of MQM in Karachi are far from ready to grab the opportunity Altaf’s exit presents


Naveed Ahmad August 24, 2016
PHOTO: MOHAMMAD NOMAN/EXPRESS

A mere night’s stay with the Rangers after Altaf Hussain’s seditious speech seems to have made Farooq Sattar et al wise. He fired the exiled comrade with a subtle statement, “All decisions of MQM will be made in Pakistan from now on.” There has been no obvious voice of dissent at home. Sure, the social media – a more informal platform for catharsis than debate – painted a different picture. Dr Amir Liaquat, a loudmouth spokesperson of the Qauid-e-Tehreek, has quit politics. The circus, however, is far from over yet as many leaders hold their breath for the impact.

Crackdown on MQM

The treasonable speech won’t be forgotten nor would be the past of the now baptised few of the Muhajir or Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). The attackers of media houses are being identified while the RAW connections are being dug up simultaneously. The yet unnamed operation to purge Karachi polity and streets of foreign proxies and weapons is set to be more consistent and swift this time around. While one reason for the renewed resolve is elimination of armed non-state actors or militant outfits, the other surely is its vitality for the success of Pakistan as well as the much-trumpeted economic corridor with China (CPEC).

For academics and political historians, Altaf’s remote-controlled populism will remain a matter of interest even though he is being finally shown the door. Those tiring, low-and-high pitched telephonic speeches and their hysteric public appeal signified unique trends in populism and urban terrorism. However, it won’t be of immediate consequence for the MQM supremo or the country of his influence.

The state-level investigation, which began on March 9 into the party’s connections with Research & Analysis Wing, can’t be sacrificed for Farooq Sattar and his clique’s political pragmatism. London may have acquitted the Edgware resident for money laundering but meandering off after instigating violence in a sovereign land won’t be so easy this time around. The statements of India’s Ajit Doval, Manohar Parrikar and Narendra Modi expose the necessity of pawns like Altaf Hussain in pursuit of Delhi’s Machiavellian ambitions. The humiliating excuse of severe mental illness can't probably help the ‘genius’ of Nine-Zero, after all.

‘We are bound to be loyal to motherland’

The process has just begun and Farooq Sattar and the likes are not averse to the future course of action. The agencies and government have slipped in a fire-fighting mode to control the damage Altaf’s statement could have caused in Karachi and Hyderabad. For all practical purposes, Karachi and MQM are in the eye of the storm for political stability and economic activity. Back in the 1990s, India used to boast of the ability to exact revenge for violence in Kashmir with the same in Karachi, courtesy Altaf Hussain aided by Farooq Sattars and Haider Abbas Rizvis. This Monday too, the former Azizabad resident was trying to drum up Indian rhetoric in sync with Modi’s speech to divert attention from Kashmir to Karachi. Blaming extreme mental stress, he apologised for the verbiage, for the record.

The man’s stupendous following is starting to look like a myth. The once terrorised Urdu-speaking residents of Karachi and Hyderabad aren’t burning shops and blocking logistical hubs to retaliate against the expulsion of their self-styled Quaid. Regardless of how the UK responds to public rage registered with Scotland Yard, Pakistan will invoke Article 6 against Altaf Hussain and seek his extradition. Enough documentary evidence exists in the public realm for Islamabad to proceed with a fair judicial probe. There won’t be a dearth of credible witnesses willing to testify in the courtroom either.

A worthy successor

Meanwhile, the Muhajir brotherhood withers away. Karachi is already home to two offshoots of yesteryears’ movement, one led by Afaq Hussain and the other by Mustafa Kamal. It’s less likely that the youngest former Karachi mayor will manage to hold together the party he inherits from Altaf. Transition from the founding leader to a somewhat controversial figure will come at a price. The MQM-style monopoly seems to diminish forever now. Over the years, the educated, younger generation could not relate to Altaf Hussain and his party as their parents could. Even if Dr Farooq Sattar is accepted as the top leader in the party, the challenge will be to revive the party and regain the lost public appeal in the shortest span of time. It ought to be a tedious affair than an exercise in rebranding.

The political opponents of MQM in Karachi are far from ready to grab the opportunity Altaf’s exit presents. The Nawaz-led Muslim League simply seems un-interested while Jama’at-e-Islami remains devoid of young leaders and activists it used to depend upon through Islami Jamiat-i-Talaba. The People’s Party has not created a grassroots model of political outreach that can replace the one MQM has, while Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf is led by handpicked, controversial individuals instead of elected office-bearers (which he used to be once proud of). Both the mainstream parties won’t be able to make their mark without clearing the organisational mess in the metropolis, and so far none seem eager to deal with the elephant in the room.

MQM's Saleem Shahzad says will return to Pakistan soon

The Sindh government has not only consistently ignored the revival of provincial police along professional lines, but has also neglected to upgrade other civic services at par with the needs of the metropolitan’s population and changing times. That’s where Rangers come in, partly. Though the paramilitary force has improved the law and order situation, it’s not the right way to do things. Does Farooq Sattar’s overnight detention episode suggest they will influence political affairs too, and so publically? If the Rangers have to manage the law and order and politics of the metropolis as is apparent, how long can the country realistically sustain it? Ironically, all that is playing out in urban Sindh resembles a political satire.

In the nutshell, the people of Karachi have a lot on the table, but they are all equally bad options. In a real world, the middle class steps up and takes matters into its own hands, but will it this time around is what we have to wait and watch.

Naveed Ahmad is a Pakistani investigative journalist and academic with extensive reporting experience in the Middle East and North Africa. He is based in Doha and Istanbul. He tweets @naveed360

COMMENTS (1)

M. Emad | 7 years ago | Reply Farooq Sattar's statement: “All decisions of MQM will be made in Pakistan from now on.” and Qauid-e-Tehreek's (AH) loudmouth spokesperson Dr Amir Liaquat 'quit politics' are good MQM/ Altaf Hussain strategy.
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