The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to indefinitely postpone its well-publicised referendum, which was scheduled for November 14.
The party’s coordination committee said on Saturday that the party was delaying the referendum out of respect for the month of Moharram, and that the decision to the effect was taken by its members in London and Karachi on Friday, and had been approved by party chief Altaf Hussain.
MQM leader Farooq Sattar had said on November 4 that his party would ask people to decide if they want Jinnah’s ‘liberal’ Pakistan or the Taliban’s extreme ideological state. The party had originally scheduled the referendum for November 8, but had to postpone it because it clashed with the IDEAS 2012 weapons exhibition in Karachi.
Sattar had said that polling stations would be established across the country, and people would be able to cast their vote from 9am to 5pm. Votes could have been cast through a website and text messages. A commission comprising retired judges, lawyers, intellectuals would be monitoring the referendum.
The party explained through a statement that it generally initiates discussions for sectarian harmony with clerics from different schools of thought before the start of Moharram, and that it has also planned numerous meetings and activities.
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan threatened the MQM over the referendum. A petition had also been filed in the Sindh High Court against it.
The National Assembly speaker, Senate chairperson, MQM chief Altaf Hussain and MQM deputy convener Farooq Sattar had been made respondents. The SHC adjourned the hearing till November 14. The MQM had also met representatives of other political parties, as well as Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, to gain their support for the referendum.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2012.
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