Drama unfolds: ‘Incident staged to win Mohajir support’

PSP leaders disapprove of way Khawaja Izharul Hassan was arrested

HYDERABAD: The Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) called the arrest and subsequent release of Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) leader Khwaja Izharul Hassan on Friday 'a drama' to put the new leadership on the map.

The cat is out of the bag now. [This was done to] win the support of the Mohajir community for the party's new leadership, said PSP vice-chairpersons Anees Ahmed and Raza Haroon during a press conference on Saturday.

"Some elements once again want to play the Mohajir card by beating the drum of 'Mohajir Mohajir'. This gives an impression that all this is a part of a well-thought-out plan," claimed Ahmed.

Despite his critical review of this development, the PSP leader disapproved of the way Malir SSP Rao Anwar arrested Hassan. He demanded that Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah should ask Anwar to explain his actions and disclose the facts to the people which prompted the police to arrest Hassan.

Haroon said some analysts in an instant reaction to Hassan's detention said the move was aimed to force the MQM leader to switch his loyalty to the PSP. "I want to ask those analysts who often make similar allegations [of the law enforcement agencies arresting MQM leaders to force them to join PSP] to answer why Hassan hasn't joined PSP if this was the case?"

The two leaders reiterated their contention that MQM-Pakistan continues to work with the party's London-based leadership. They rejected the assertion that the party's Pakistani leadership has disassociated itself with London or party founder Altaf Hussain.

Praising Altaf: Birthday wishes appear near PSP office

Graffiti wishing a happy birthday to Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) founding chief Altaf Hussain appeared once again in Hyderabad on Saturday. This time around, the graffiti appeared near Pak Sarzameen Party's (PSP) office in Latifabad Unit 6.

The unidentified Altaf supporters also released balloons, coloured with white, red and green stripes reflecting the MQM's flag, attached with photos of Altaf in the same area.

The wall-chalking appeared a few hours before PSP vice-chairpersons Anees Ahmed and Raza Haroon were to address a press conference. Local residents said they did not see anyone writing on the walls. On September 15, unidentified men wrote 'Happy Birthday Altaf Bhai, Ahliyaan-e-Hyderabad' [Citizens of Hyderabad]' on the walls of the press club, General Post Office, Haider Chowk and Kohinoor Chowk, among other places. Although the police removed the wall-chalking a few hours later, no one was arrested for the graffiti. Altaf was born on September 17, 1953.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2016.