Tense calm prevails after MQM clash

Mustafa Kamal visits Bahadurabad HQ as rival factions stay at odds

KARACHI:

What began as a simmering power struggle within Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has now erupted into open confrontation, turning the party's Bahadurabad headquarters into a flashpoint of chaos and division.

Two factions, once bound under a single political banner, clashed with fury on Sunday night - gunfire piercing the air, stones flying, and workers left injured - as deep-rooted tensions burst into the open.

Even as an uneasy calm settles, the battle for control and legitimacy continues to unfold behind closed doors, threatening to further fracture an already divided party. Signs of strain were evident on Monday as the Mustafa Kamal faction maintained its presence at the party's headquarters in Bahadurabad, while leaders of the rival Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui group stayed away.

In a related development, police briefly attempted to seal the MQM headquarters but withdrew after party leaders intervened. New Town SHO Ghulam Hussain, accompanied by a police contingent, entered the premises at around 4pm and tried to lock the Rabita Committee office.

However, party workers and leaders present at the site demanded a written order authorising the move. MQM leaders Shabbir Qaimkhani and MNA Javed Hanif also sought a formal directive, which police failed to produce. SHO Hussain the action was being taken on instructions from senior officials. As workers began gathering at the centre, police left without taking further action.

Later, senior MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal, along with Anees Qaimkhani and several party lawmakers, arrived at the headquarters. Workers of the same group also gathered and remained there for nearly two hours.

Leaders and lawmakers from the Siddiqui faction were not present during this time. Shabbir Qaimkhani said that efforts were underway to defuse tensions.

Speaking informally to reporters, Kamal expressed optimism, saying the situation would improve and "there is nothing that cannot be resolved." Sources, however, said tensions between the two factions persist, though efforts are being made to address differences and stabilise the situation.

Meanwhile, detentions of workers allegedly involved in Sunday's clashes continued across the metropolis. Sources said a list of more than 200 workers suspected of involvement in the unrest has been compiled, and arrests are being made from various areas.

The violence erupted on Sunday when long-simmering differences between the Siddiqui and Kamal factions boiled over into violence at the party headquarters in Bahadurabad.

According to party sources, workers of the Siddiqui group were holding a meeting at the centre when members of the Kamal faction arrived to hold their own gathering. The situation quickly escalated into sloganeering, followed by a physical confrontation between workers of both groups.

Aerial firing was reported during the clash, triggering panic in the area and forcing nearby shops to close. Stone pelting was also reported, leaving several workers injured.

MQM leader Aminul Haq said organisational and legal action would be taken against those involved in the violence. He alleged that intense aerial firing was carried out by the rival group, resulting in injuries to one of their workers.

He further claimed that the party office was vandalised during the clash, with CCTV cameras and the DVR system removed. Haq added that in light of the current situation, it would no longer be possible to run party affairs in the same manner.

Following the escalation, Siddiqui, Sattar and other leaders remained present at a park adjacent to the party headquarters, where slogans were raised, including in favour of Kamal. A late-night press conference planned by the Siddiqui group was later postponed.

At least three people were reported injured in the violence, which included aerial firing and stone pelting.