Pointing fingers: War of words continues between PTI, MQM

PTI's Imran Ismail demands that NA-246 should be handed over to army until by-polls.

KARACHI: As the NA-246 by-poll campaigns continued, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) remained engaged in a war of words on Saturday.

A meeting was held to cool down the atmosphere at the Karachi commissioner's office, attended by PTI candidate Imran Ismail and MQM nominee Kanwar Naveed as well as Sindh IG Ghulam Hyder Jamali, Karachi AIG Ghulam Qadir Thebo, Karachi commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui and Rangers representatives. However, no member of the election commission was present.



Talking to the media after the meeting, Ismail claimed that he had questioned the city administration and the MQM representative about the clashes occurring between the two parties over the last few days, but they all failed to answer him.

Holding Naveed responsible for the incident, Ismail pointed out that although the MQM had initially denied any links with those who attacked the PTI election camp in Karimabad on Friday, Naveed himself had bailed out all those who were arrested on Saturday. "He took them to Jinnah Ground and gave them all a warm welcome."

He demanded that the NA-246 constituency should be handed over to the army until the by-elections. "We are unable to run our election campaign. We cannot enter the area," he maintained. "We do not fear going there, but we fear clashes that could claim lives."

Ismail remarked that Sindh chief minister Qaim Ali Shah himself had claimed that NA-246 was traditionally MQM's seat. "If it is traditionally an MQM seat, does that mean we cannot contest an election there?"

Asked about Naveed's allegation that the PTI had the support of the federal government in the by-elections, he responded that it was the duty of federal interior minister Chaudhry Nisar to ensure their safety. He added that the PTI would never sit with the MQM for negotiation at any forum again because they had breached the code of conduct.

Meanwhile, Naveed claimed in a press briefing that if a free and fair election was held, the PTI would not be able to obtain more than 12,000 votes. "We have urged them several times not to use derogatory remarks against our leader, Altaf Hussain," he said. "What happened was the reaction of the people of Karachi to what they said about him."

Speaking to the media, Siddiqui said that the election commission's code of conduct would be implemented, with action being taken against those who breached it.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6^th,  2015.