Engineered politics threatens MQM-P ahead of elections: Sattar

'Several leaders have reported death threats and tempting offers to change loyalties'

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan Chief Dr Farooq Sattar held an emergency press conference on Sunday morning to discuss the issues surrounding 'engineered politics' breaking down the party.

"We have summoned you to PIB Colony to discuss an extremely important matter, one that holds enormous implications for the future of Pakistan and the future of the Mohajir community" Sattar said while beginning his press conference, "are we left with any space to politically represent the middle-class Mohajir community that has been deprived of its rights?"

Sattar demanded answers to his questions, expressing great concern over the fate of the party's vote bank in the urban centres of Sindh. "The recent political manoeuvring engulfing the cities of Sindh…our MNAs and MPAS are being coerced to change their loyalties, and several leaders have reported death threats and tempting offers inciting them to defect our party," he said.

 



He challenged the conspirators to use fair means to snatch away party MNAS and MPAs. "I have with me Nishat Zia Qadri, Kamran Akhtar and Faisal Rafiq… Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leadership and supporters should clearly ask them if they want to switch their loyalties…make their offer on a phone call right here and invite them to their doors," said Sattar.

This is happening a few months before the 2018 elections and the Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan is saying that he guarantees free and fair elections.

"I address the chief justice of Pakistan to tell him that do not make a claim without knowing the ground realities," Farooq Sattar said, adding that he is going to Islamabad next week and wants to meet the CJP.

He also said that he will not leave the Supreme Court until he is given time by the CJ or until he takes Suo motu notice of his statement. "My MPAs and their families were not being given protection and no guarantee was being given for their safety," said Sattar.

He said that even if the CJP says that MQM areas are excluded from his statement, Sattar would be satisfied, as it would imply that the CJP is helpless and without authority or judicial power in the cities of Sindh. Sattar alleged that his claim of free and fair elections is false as far as the cities of Sindh and especially Karachi is concerned.

"If I am called then I will say the same thing in the SC," he said while adding that the CJP should call him.

 



Another one departs

Meanwhile, MQM Pakistan faced another blow after a defecting Sindh Assembly MPA Samita Afzal Syed joined PSP on Sunday.

MQM had elected Samita to Sindh Assembly on its reserved seat for women. Samita received a warm welcome by Mustafa Kamal and Anees Qaimkhani on her arrival to Pakistan House.

Mustafa Kamal has announced a no-entry policy for Farooq Sattar, terming him as a 'small man' who is in the habit of levelling baseless allegations upon PSP. "Is PSP responsible for leaking the videos where Farooq Sattar is seen breaking deals with Tessori?" Kamal asked in his statement before the media.

Kamal accused Sattar of creating a new 'drama' in an attempt to save waning politics of MQM. "The man claiming to be the champion of Mohajir politics has accused us of coercing people of MQM to join PSP," he said.

Kamal alleged that the present mayor was involved in embezzling Rs6 billion of public money while Sattar engineered a conspiracy to create enmity between the women of both the parties. He also said that it was MQM that was responsible to create factions of the Raabta Committee which failed to bag even four Senate seats against the claims.

Kamal alleged that Sattar continued to demand manpower from PSP for its party programs and invited Anees Qaimkhani for a one-to-one meeting in his absence. "Sattar asked Qaimkhani for the 'package' PSP was willing to offer him in case ECP disqualified him from the chairmanship," he said.

Kamal claimed Sattar even thanked Qaimkhani for his offer of a place in PSP in case of ECP disqualification. He added that Sattar was misleading the Mohajir community and acted weak against anti-state statements from MQM founder Altaf Hussain.

"Sattar used to say that preventing Hussain from using hate speech was beyond his control," Kamal claimed and added that PSP had been ignoring Sattar's remarks for over three months and that his Sunday conference came after an undercover meeting with Shehbaz Sharif.