MQM-P, PSP decide to regroup under 'one name, one symbol'
Mustafa Kamal, Farooq Sattar announce decision in joint press conference at Karachi Press Club
KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) have decided to regroup with "one name, one symbol and one manifesto", a year after the two political factions announced complete disassociation from their former leadership based in London.
Announcing their decision at a joint press conference on Wednesday, MQM-P Chief Farooq Sattar and PSP Chairman Mustafa Kamal said they had decided to do away with their differences to ensure that the vote bank from Sindh and Karachi is not divided.
"We will contest the upcoming elections under one name and symbol," Sattar said at the press conference, sitting alongside Kamal at the Karachi Press Club.
"We have decided to form a political alliance for the betterment of all," Sattar said, adding that the political alliance is the need of Karachi, Sindh, and Pakistan.
The MQM-P chief said the new name and electoral symbol, under which the newly-formed alliance will contest the general elections, will be mutually decided in meetings to be held between the leadership of the two parties in the coming days.
Sattar added that it is the duty of the party's leadership to take its workers onboard with the decision as they want to return "Karachi's government to the city".
He dismissed politics of confrontation, stating that the two parties "don't want politics of confrontation to be encouraged in this city [Karachi]" and requested workers of both parties to play their part in working towards their common goal.
"We should ensure that Karachi never faces the kind of political violence it witnessed in the past."
"We seek a good working relationship and a political alliance with each other, and this is what we wanted to talk to you all about," added Sattar.
"PSP and MQM had been deliberating these points in the recent past. We need good statesmanship at this juncture. To this end, we need a positive and combined effort," said the MQM-P leader.
Regarding missing workers, the leader of MQM-P said the process of recovering them should move forward and appealed that the party's offices, which are legally its property, be reopened.
About the recently conducted census, Sattar said it is the wish of the party to ensure that Karachi's citizens are counted properly and represented.
He also thanked the workers and supporters of the party for making MQM-P's November 5 rally a success.
'Whatever our identity, it certainly won't be MQM'
Mustafa Kamal, speaking after the MQM-P chief, endorsed Sattar's announcement to continue the joint struggle under one name and symbol.
"Whatever our identity will be, it certainly won't be MQM because that name will always belong to the party's founder," the PSP chairman said, referring to the leader of MQM-London.
Kamal said that they will work together to bring betterment to the country, after questioning what was stopping their parties from becoming the voice of the people.
"Today, we are entering this historic agreement. I thank the workers of both parties for enabling this," said the PSP leader.
He also lamented that Karachi has been treated unfairly in the recently conducted census.
"We do not accept the census, and every concerned citizen, including retired judges and intellectuals, agree with us," Kamal stressed.
"Seven million people from the urban areas of Sindh have not been accounted for in the census."
Referring to workers allegedly missing, he pleaded with the government to forgive the children of Karachi.
"I ask the government to forgive the children of Karachi, in the same manner they forgave Balochistan's children," Kamal requested.
"They were misled by 'someone', but that 'someone' is no longer guiding them."
"I appeal that these children please be forgiven," the PSP chairman said. "If they again commit the same mistakes, we take the responsibility of handing them over to law-enforcement agencies."
Ali Raza Abidi quits MQM-P
MQM-P lawmaker Ali Raza Abidi announced that he was quitting the party, as it announced to regroup with the PSP.
Abidi also announced resigning from his seat in the National Assembly. He was elected as an MNA from NA-251, Karachi.
Amir Khan expresses concern over development
MQM-P Deputy Convener Amir Khan, in an exclusive conversation with Geo News, expressed his concern over the recent development between his party and PSP.
"The mandate given to our colleagues was different from what has come forward," Khan said. "This is not what we agreed upon."
Khan added that he will look into the development after reaching the country tomorrow. He is presently in Saudi Arabia to perform umrah.
Ishrat-ul-Ebad denies involvement in bringing PSP, MQM-P together
The former governor of Sindh, Ishrat-ul-Ebad, denied rumours about the possibility of being appointed as the leader of the ‘merged MQM-P and PSP’.
“I appreciate the decision of the parties to meet and do away with the rifts because divisions will never benefit the city,” he said, “but I have I not played any part in this development, at least in the recent days”.
Ebad denied being in contact with the parties but did not completely reject the possibility of his role in the new party.
“Sometimes a person is unable to decide their role and time becomes the decisive factor but for now there is no such possibility…neither do I have the intent or desire to join the [merged] party,” Ebad said, as he tactfully avoided a clear response.
MQM-P, PSP chiefs arrival at press club
Earlier, the PSP chairman arrived at the Karachi Press Club soon after Sattar. The arrival of the leaders was preceded by a meeting of MQM-P at the party's high command at its PIB office.
Sattar had made it clear that the party will not compromise on its name or electoral symbol, adding that he will exit the alliance any time if he is pressured to do away with his party's name or electoral symbol.
MQM-P had called an emergency general workers' meeting after its Rabta Committee meeting concluded.
After the general workers' meeting ended, in a brief media address outside the temporary party office in Bahadurabad, Sattar had said that the time has come that the party makes strategic, not tactical, decisions.
Earlier reactions from MQM-P
MQM-P leader Rauf Siddiqui while speaking to media outside the Sindh Assembly stressed that whatever decision was taken by his party it would not be a surprise.
“Right now the party is meeting and whatever decision is taken it will not be a surprise. Pakistan needs unity right now and in this situation, everyone needs to be on the same page,” Siddiqui said.
MQM-P leader Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hasan said, “I consider this a welcome move if a grand alliance is formed for the betterment of the city."
“The city has long awaited for peace and unity, so a decision that’s for the betterment of the city [Karachi] and the province is a welcome change,” he remarked.
Wassan says 'prediction coming true'
Sindh provincial minister, Manzoor Wassan said that he had predicted that this development would take place. The minister added that the both those parties would be led by an individual based in Dubai.
When contacted former Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad said that Wasan’s statement was not directed towards him. “There are good people in both parties but I am not in contact with either one.”
President of the Sindh chapter of Awami National Party Shahi Saeed welcomed the two parties' move.
"We welcome the decision if it is in Karachi’s interest," Saeed said, "but we hope that this unity does not result in extortion and criminal activities that were being carried out on the instructions of the MQM-L leader."
"They [MQM-P and PSP] should unite in the larger interest of this city [Karachi] and country," he said.
Earlier on Tuesday in a press conference, PSP Chairperson Kamal vowed to create a bloc against the MQM-P in the legislative assemblies with the elected representatives that have switched over to his party.
Kamal has earlier said that MQM 'is an enemy of Pakistan.' He had claimed that 'muhajirs are vulnerable' because of the party.
Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Karachi Arshad Vohra also switched loyalties and announced to join the ranks of PSP on October 29. Speaking to media regarding his decision at the party’s central office, Pakistan House, Vohra remarked that he is grateful to the people of Karachi who gave them the mandate.
“Unfortunately, I was not able to deliver to the people of Karachi,” he lamented. “We have been quite unjust to the people of Pakistan,” he shared
Vohra had also shared that other leaders and workers of MQM along with MNAs want to joint PSP.
PSP President Anis QaimKhani had told the media that Sattar should get members of the Senate and National Assembly to resign if he had any moral courage.
“We will participate wholeheartedly in all the elections held on the posts of MQM leaders,” Qaimkhani had said.
