A widening split

August 12, 2016 may well be marked as the day on which the latent schisms within the MQM began to tear it asunder

August 12, 2016 may well be marked as the day on which the latent schisms within the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) began to tear it asunder. On that day the leader of the MQM based in London, Altaf Hussain, made a speech which incited his followers gathered in Karachi to violence, as well as making statements that were distinctly unpatriotic and offensive to the armed forces. It has proved to be a speech too far, and the party has been imploding in terms of its senior leadership ever since. Fortunately, the turmoil at the top has not thus far translated into turmoil on the streets, and the rank and file membership appear to be waiting and watching events, perhaps unsure of outcomes as Altaf Hussain has declared himself incommunicado.

What is clear enough though also of uncertain outcome is that the London and Pakistan leadership groups are not on the same page, and are not even working from the same playbook. The MQM-P is nominally led by Dr Farooq Sattar who has announced that he has been elevated to being the party’s convener. Not so says MQM-L which has said that his basic membership is revoked and that he has betrayed Altaf Hussain.

The sooner these unhappy matters are resolved the better for all concerned, but particularly the MQM ordinary members mostly in Karachi. They have voted the party in and have every right to expect that their elected representatives will discharge their duties appropriately, which means that the party has to have an active and effective leadership. Nothing is forever in politics as elsewhere in life, and for the MQM this is a period of transition. It was never going to be pretty or easy but the London connection was past its sell-by date as was arguably its absent leader who was increasingly out of touch with some uncomfortable realities, not least his own capacity and ability to lead in absentia. If Dr Sattar can bring order to the stage then so be it. The leaders in London are yesterday, and the MQM urgently needs to be today and tomorrow. We await developments.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2016.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.