MQM MPA defects to PPP

Heer Ismail Soho publicly announced her support for the ruling party in the Senate elections

KARACHI: Disgruntled MPA of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan Heer Ismail Soho has formally announced to join the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

She made the announcement on Thursday while addressing a joint presence conference with PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and MNA Faryal Talpur. Soho, who belongs to Thatta district, has been elected three times to the Sindh Assembly on the MQM's ticket. However, she publicly supported PPP candidates in the Senate elections on March 3.

"MQM has now become a joke after the dissent within its ranks," Soho told the media. She added that workers and leaders of the party were in a state of confusion after the internal dispute in the party which led to the formations of its Bahadurabad and PIB factions. "In this prevailing situation, I decided to part ways with the MQM and join the PPP, which is the only true representative of people in Sindh," she said.

Soho also refuted the allegations that she sold her vote to the PPP in the Senate elections in return for monetary gain. "I have joined the PPP without any greed or lucrative offer," she said.



The female MPA also discarded the impression that she was promised to be made an adviser in the Sindh Cabinet and that she will be awarded the PPP ticket to contest either a national or provincial assembly seat in the upcoming general elections. "I will be a worker of the party," she said, adding that she was not chasing any lucrative position.

Soho also asked her former party to stop criticising her. She warned that she would reveal many secrets of the MQM if the party did not refrain from rebuking her.

Referring to MQM-Pakistan PIB Colony faction head Farooq Sattar's statement that 13 MPAs of MQM-Pakistan had not voted for the party's candidates in the Senate elections, Soho said that many male MPAs also did not vote for the MQM nominees. "I wonder why only women like me are being criticised. Why are the MQM leaders mum on other male MPAs who did not support them?" she asked.

Khuhro and Talpur welcomed Soho to the PPP. "People are joining the ruling party because of its popularity among the people," Talpur said.