MQM-P calls for unity of Sindhis and Mohajirs

Farooq Sattar says politicians may get divided, but for voters there is only one MQM

HYDERABAD: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Friday staged its first power show in Hyderabad, the city recognised as the second major stronghold of the party, after Karachi.

In a discursive speech during a gathering at Akbari ground in Latifabad, Dr Farooq Sattar, the party chief, attempted to stir the crowd's passion.

"Our competition isn't with any pidi [dwarf]," he said tacitly referring to Pak-Sarzameen Party’s (PSP) Chairman Mustafa Kamal. "It’s not against any other political party, but within our own party... it's against the wrong perception and propaganda which is being created to dishonour MQM-P."



He promised the supporters that his party would win more political power in the days to come and ruled out electoral damage due to the ongoing factionalism. "The politicians may get divided, but the vote bank knows only one faction. There is only one MQM for the voters," he asserted.

Sattar said if fair and transparent population census and delimitation of the constituencies was allowed in Sindh, the MQM-P would win enough seats in the Sindh Assembly to elect its chief minister in the 2018 elections.

He expressed his wish to create harmony between Sindhi- and Urdu-speaking people in the province and urged the Sindhi youth to join the MQM-P. "Together we [Sindhis and Mohajirs] can make Sindh the most developed province of Pakistan."

He reiterated that MQM-P did not want the division of Sindh to create a new province for the Mohajir people. "That's the reason I am appealing to Sindhi youth to join our party and bring forward the poor class, middle class and the educated people [for public representation]."

The MQM-P's convener also complained that urban Sindh was not given adequate development funds. He said that urban Sindh contributed 70% to the federal tax revenue and 85% to the provincial revenue, but, disproportionately lesser funds were earmarked for Sindh’s urban development.

Speaking on the occasion, party's senior deputy convener Amir Khan said all the tactics of the PSP to fail the MQM-P's event foundered. The PSP had earlier announced a public meeting in Hyderabad on the same day, but converted the event into a membership campaign to coincide with the MQM-P's public meeting.

Khan claimed that the people were joining the PSP under duress. "But now the powers on whose shoulders you were parachuted from Dubai have realised your actual worth and they are no more with you."

He also commented on MNA Salman Mujahid Baloch joining the PSP, claiming that the MQM-P had expelled Baloch much earlier.

Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar, during his speech, termed Kamal a mistake of MQM's founder Altaf Hussain and former army chief General Raheel Sharif. "Because of their mistakes we are suffering from this torment," he said.



Kamran Tessori, the party's deputy convener, objected to the Supreme Court's orders with regard to the removal of billboards, anti-encroachment operation and ban on the movement of heavy traffic and construction of high rises. He complained that Karachi had been singled out in all such orders as the same activities continued unhindered in all the other cities of Pakistan.

"Karachi is a port city. Instead of ordering the Sindh government to build roads, flyovers and underpasses, the movement of heavy traffic [during day time] has been banned."

Tessori said the billboards were a huge source of revenue for the local government, but Karachi was the only city where the court ordered the ban.