Karachi will remain MQM’s stronghold, says Sattar

Party holds its first major public gathering in city

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan on Friday staged its first major public gathering in the metropolis at a time when the party’s popularity sans Altaf Hussain was being questioned.

Hundreds of party workers from across Sindh – including Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas – gathered at Nishtar Park to make the ‘Muttahida Yakjahti Jalsa’ as big an event as the MQM’s 1986 gathering at the same spot.



In his speech, the party’s chief Farooq Sattar said the turnout at the jalsa has proved that “Karachi was, is and will remain with the MQM. It is our first show. Even bigger rallies will be staged in future.”

He said that earlier the party called for division of Sindh, but now, it can claim the mandate of the whole province. “If a fair census is held, then the next chief minister of Sindh will be from the MQM,” he said, lamenting that the country’s financial hub which contributed 60% of revenue was never provided its due share in resources.

“Where there is taxation, there is representation,” he said, adding that if there was no representation, then there should be no taxation. “Through this gathering, Karachi has also announced a pivotal role in national politics.”

He said that 20 administrative units should be established in the country if the rulers intended to strengthen democracy. “Transfer of power to the grassroots level is inevitable for the success of democracy,” he added.

Sattar criticised the PPP leadership for ‘curbing’ the mayoral powers and demanded that water, sewerage, metropolitan and building control boards be handed over to the mayor. “The quota system should be abolished and jobs should be given on merit,” he said.



Amir Khan, who spoke before Sattar, criticised the party’s London leadership in his speech, saying they had exploited the blood of the ‘martyrs’ and usurped the rights of workers.

Khan announced that he would retire from the party’s Coordination Committee on August 22, 2018 to allow young workers to come forward and understand the politics and dynamics of the metropolis.

Other MQM leaders Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Khawaja Izharul Hasan, Faisal Sabzwari and Khushbakht Shujaat lashed out at PPP, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pak Sarzameen Party for trying to claim the ownership of the city.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2016.