Pro-Musharraf, MQM-Pakistan alliance banners surface in Karachi

KARACHI: Mysterious banners supporting an alliance between former president Pervez Musharraf and MQM-Pakistan Chief Farooq Sattar appeared on Monday in Karachi, days after plus-one formula — addition of Musharraf to MQM-Pakistan — came to surface.

The banners put up by unknown people were visible outside Karachi Press Club under the 'Muttahida Qaumi Jirga Pakistan'.

The banners depict Musharraf and Sattar together, displaying slogan ‘MQM-Pakistan and Musharraf are brothers’. The banners also stated ‘Jaag Muhajir Jaag’.

On Nov 12, MQM-Pakistan leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui met with Pervez Musharraf in Dubai.

Earlier, senior politician Ahmed Raza Kasuri suggested that if Musharraf became MQM-Pakistan's leader, the party would be freed from the allegations of links to Indian spy agency RAW or being pro-India.

He said that the party will get a leader who is former army chief as well as former president of Pakistan,

"No one will accuse it of being pro-Indian", he added.

"The voter-base of MQM-Pakistan will also increase and the party will be able to reach other areas such as Balochistan etc where it does not have much clout".

on Nov 8, an important meeting was held between Musharraf and representatives from MQM-Pakistan.

MQM Pakistan leader Khawaja Izhar said that he was to a personal visit to Dubai when he met Musharraf around 10-15 days ago.

He said during the meeting held with the former president he expressed interest in the plus-one formula although did not say anything openly.