Major political parties refuse to attend, MQM forced to postpone APC

KARACHI: After several political parties turned down Muttahida Quami Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) invitation to attend its all parties' conference (APC) today, the 'grand meeting' was postponed.

MQM-P’s chief Farooq Sattar, addressing the media alongside party leaders, thanked media persons for their support.

He said with utmost seriousness, they planned the ‘all important’ APC and contacted political parties and sending delegations asking them to attend the meeting.

Sattar claimed after promising to come to the APC by Monday night, all of a sudden in the morning the APC was boycotted by the parties. “We got to know through the media about the political parties’ decision to boycott the APC,” said Sattar. 

Around noon on Tuesday, several political parties through their spokespersons sent out the word, declining the MQM-P’s invitation aimed at reaching out to other political players.

He thanked those parties that were still ready to be a part of the APC.

Sattar claimed they are the second largest party of Sindh but still their attempt at uniting parties for the sake of a common goal was not taken seriously.

The MQM-P chief said the parties that boycotted today’s APC have in fact rejected the party’s stance that it adopted on August 23, a day after the controversial speech of the party’s founder from London and subsequent emergence of the ‘Pakistan’ faction of the MQM. 

“Those that didn’t show up today have strengthened the London narrative,” argued Sattar. 

He categorically rejected the practice of holding anti-Pakistan speeches and burning the country's flags. 

Sattar said him and not Mustafa Kamal ensured the segregation of the MQM. 

The parties that had turned down the invite include Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Jamat-e-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League factions (PML-N, PML-F), Sunni Tehreek, Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl and others.

Following news of the boycotts, an MQM-P official said the party tried to initiate a political discussion and it’s the personal decision of the parties whether to attend or boycott.

Meanwhile, Pak Sarzameen Party, and MQM-Haqiqi planned to attend the conference today, as will Pakistan Awami Tehreek and All Pakistan Muslim League.

MQM leaders Faisal Subzwari and Amir Khan met MQM-Haqiqi leader Afaq Ahmed on Monday, following the meeting, the MQM-H chief announced that he would be attending the APC tomorrow.

Speaking at a joint press conference at the PSP's office, PSP leader Anis Advocate said on Monday: “Principally we have decided to attend the meeting tomorrow,” and immediately added, “we hope that the MQM-P will hold a clear stance against the traitor of the country tomorrow.”

MQM-P leader Amir Khan reiterated their complete separation from the party's London faction.

Khan said that in the conference, the political leadership of the country will focus on the issues related to local bodies and corruption in the provincial departments.

The APC marks a year's passing since MQM founder’s controversial anti-state comments in a speech at Karachi Press Club. Following the incident and subsequent violence, the party disassociated itself from its founder to create its own faction with senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar as its leader.

A day after the incident, Sattar had reiterated that MQM will operate from Pakistan and that all the party's decisions will now be taken from its leadership based in the country.