‘No Bahadurabad, PIB group’: Haider Abbas Rizvi denies factionalism in MQM-P

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Haider Abbas Rizvi, who had earlier left the country for unknown reasons, shared his views on Thursday on the ongoing public rift between the party chief and Rabita Committee.

Speaking in Geo News show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, the MQM leader refrained from assigning anyone responsibility or blame for the rift.

“I don’t agree there is any group in MQM. There is no Bahadurabad or PIB group,” he said, adding that the party is going through a difficult time and will come out of it soon.

MQM-P deadlock: Sattar, Rabita committee field separate candidates for Senate elections

'We were united in the past and shall remain united in the future too'

When asked why he was supporting party leader Amir Khan instead of party chief Farooq Sattar as alleged by the latter, Rizvi did not give a direct answer and said he believes every party leader and worker should play their role in ending the stalemate.

He said that there is no question over the sacrifices and hard work done by Sattar for the party and that he has played a huge role in handling a party through a difficult time.

Rizvi, however, went on to say that “we want to see a strong convener in the shape of Sattar, but that would only be possible if the party is also strengthened”.

Rizvi also said that people in the party currently hold two schools of thoughts: one which believes the party should evolve democratically, in which consultations are held. The other revolves around a personality, he said.

When asked what he has to say about Sattar rebuking him over the phone in a press conference, Rizvi said Sattar is a senior figure of the party and he has the right to scold him.

Deadlock persists between Sattar, Rabita Committee over Tessori

'If something could not be finalised in today's meeting, then it can be taken up tomorrow afternoon', the MQM-P chief tells workers

Expanding on the solutions needed to end the stalemate, Rizvi said that there need to be “consultations, consultations and more consultations”.

He said that no one has to necessarily back down from their demands and that they should instead hold consultations until the issue is resolved.

“Everyone is important. Personalities are not important,” he added.

Rizvi also said that he was in contact with Sattar after the latter’s press conference.

About his plans to return to Pakistan, he said that the decision was made by the party and he cannot say anything about it.

Asked whether the infighting would benefit Pakistan Sarzameen Party and whether MQM-P is a party which can survive without a single centre of power, Rizvi said that the party will not only continue to exist but also learn a great deal from ongoing conflict.

MQM-P rift

A party meeting, held late Monday, ended in chaos as Sattar and Amir Khan disagreed with each other over the nomination of candidates for the Senate elections.

Following the disagreement, Sattar and his supporters left the Bahadurabad venue for his residence in PIB Colony amid chants in the party chief's favour.

The deadlock further intensified on Thursday with both sides refusing to budge in favour of the other.

Negotiations between both camps yielded no breakthrough on the inclusion of Kamran Tessori as MQM-P’s candidate for Senate elections as party leaders opted for expressing their grievances openly through respective press conferences today.

Both factions of the party have also submitted nomination papers of their candidates while maintaining that a number of nominated candidates will be withdrawn after reaching a breakthrough on the issue.