Party name, symbol to remain, faith in Sattar strong: MQM-P Rabita Committee

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Rabita Committee said that the party’s name, symbol and manifesto will remain intact, adding that all members have expressed full confidence in Farooq Sattar’s leadership.

The sentiments were expressed by Rabita Committee Deputy Convener Kanwar Naveed Jamil, who presided over MQM’s high-level huddle in Bahadurabad on Thursday.

Addressing the media, Jamil shared that the developments pertaining to joining hands of PSP and MQM-Pakistan were discussed in-depth.

“Some members had expressed their reservations and we had to clear them,” he shared.

He said that three important decisions were made during the meeting. First is that MQM’s name, flag, election symbol and manifesto will remain intact, he said.

“MQM would stay the same as it was, political alliances are formed quite often and there is nothing extra ordinary regarding it,” he claimed, adding it has nothing to do with MQM’s integrity. 

He also stated examples of political alliances in the past, such as the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad and the Pakistan National Alliance.

The members also decided that MQM will contest the elections on the seats they have won earlier. Moreover, the party leadership has shown trust in the leadership of Sattar. 

“We have a united stance that we want Sattar to lead us.”

He also said: “We have asked our voters, supporters and workers to not believe in any rumours they hear on the media or otherwise.”

Earlier, party members had shared that party head Farooq Sattar won't be attending the party's high-level huddle. Kamran Tessori, while speaking to the media, had announced that Sattar won't be chairing the session. Instead, Rabita Committee Kanwar Naveed Jamil is presiding over the session, he said. 

The session is being held a day after MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party announced to regroup under "one name, one election symbol." Interestingly, it is being said that Kanwar Naveed also has his reservations against MQM-Pakistan joining hands with PSP. 

An official statement from the party stated that Sattar is not in attendance due to "personal commitments." 

According to sources, Sattar decided to skip the session due to internal pressure from some of the party members, who threatened to leave the party if Sattar headed it. 

Many other members tried to convince Sattar to not succumb to the pressure as it would create a negative image in the media, said sources, but Sattar still chose to skip it. 

The high-level meeting was attended by Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, Wasim Akhtar, Kamran Tessori, Faisal Sabzwari among others. 

While other leaders such as Shabbir Qaimkhani and Amir Khan, who returned to country later in the day, missed the session. 

A consultative meeting of party leaders was summoned on Thursday afternoon to address reservations of its disgruntled leaders on the recently-held joint press conference with Pak Sarzameen Party Chairman Mustafa Kamal, sources informed Geo News.

MQM-P’s party high command will also review the ongoing political developments after the press conference.

According to reports, a majority of the senior party leaders is seeking an explanation from Dr Sattar to inform them whether the party is going to hold an electoral alliance or a merger with the Kamal-led PSP.

Sources privy to the development have informed that senior party leaders Kishwar Zehra, Kanwar Naveed, Aamir Khan, Aminul Haq, Shahid Pasha and Shabbir Qaimkhani have expressed serious reservations over any alliance with the PSP.

Electoral alliance, not merger: Siddiqui, Sabzwari

Meanwhile, senior leaders MQM-P Rauf Siddiqui and Faisal Sabzwari said on Thursday that MQM-P will hold a political alliance with the PSP, and is not merging with it.

Siddiqui said that MQM-P will remain with its identity and PSP with theirs.

“With our full strength MQM-P will contest next polls,” he said. “The alliance was important because it was exacerbating political uncertainty in the city.”

Meanwhile, Sabzwari also categorically denied the impression of a merger with the PSP.

“We are just having a dialogue with PSP on the mechanism for a political alliance,” he said. “MQM’s name, flag, symbol is present, and God willing will continue to remain present in future.”