MQM-Pakistan suffers another blow as two more leaders jump ship

Shabbir Qaimkhani resigns from party's basic membership while MNA Muzammil Qureshi announces joining PSP

In the latest blow to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan, two more party leaders – Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani and MNA Muzammil Qureshi – parted ways with the party on Wednesday, Express News reported.

Rabita (coordination) Committee member Qaimkhani said that he has also resigned from the party’s basic membership. “We lost dear and loving colleagues due to infighting,” he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Muzammil Qureshi announced his decision of joining the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) in a news conference hosted by PSP leader Anis Qaimkhani at the party’s headquarters in Karachi.

“We decided to come here because we want to solve the problems of Karachi and this is the best platform to do so,” said Qureshi.

“We are not wickets or kites… we will fly and swim with PSP,” said the former MQM-Pakistan leader.

Qureshi even clarified that, “No FIR was lodged against the people who have come with me.”



“We all are Urdu-speaking Muhajirs,” he maintained.

The former MQM-P MNA shed light on issues faced by MQM PIB and MQM Bahadurabad pertaining to unity.

“We wanted to strengthen Dr Farooq [Sattar] bhai. Whatever happened to him was because of the Bahadurabad rabita committee,” he added.

He clarified that whatever happened to Dr Sattar should have been avoided and ended his address by advising the former to join a party where people respect him.

PSP President Qaimkhani suggested Sattar to romance with humans and not kites. He even paid tribute to the police, Rangers and security agencies for successfully conducting PSL matches.

Responding to a question, he said, “People will get tickets on merit from PSP.”

Qaimkhani used the platform to urge the National Database and Registration Authority to sort out problems of Karachiites pertaining to the national identity card as elections are near.

Last week, MQM-P received back-to-back setback as two of its MNAs, Syed Waseem Hussain and Dr Fauzia Hameed, joined the Mustafa Kamal-led PSP.

The announcement of Hussain joining the party was made by PSP President Anis Qaimkhani on Sunday during a press conference held at the Pakistan House in Karachi, a mere four days after two women provincial ministers and MNA Hameed parted ways with the MQM-Pakistan.