Sattar summons meeting today on party reservations over alliance

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) summoned a key meeting of Rabita Committee today (Thursday) to address the reservations of party leaders on forming electoral alliance with rival Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), sources informed ARY News. 

Dr Farooq Sattar, the party chief, is expected to take the discontented party leaders in confidence on the decision. The top brass of MQM-P is also to review the situation arising out of the joint presser.

According to sources, majority of the senior party leaders have sought an explanation from Sattar on the matter.

Amir Khan, Shahid Pasha, Kishwar Zehra, Kanwar Naveed, Aminul Haq and Shabbir Qaimkhani have expressed serious reservations over an alliance with the PSP, sources said.

The party’s deputy convener Amir Khan, who has been abroad, has openly opposed the alliance of MQM-P with Mustafa Kamal-led PSP.

He maintained in an interview that he allowed his fellow party members to talk with the PSP but they not only exceeded the mandate given to them but kept him in dark about the development.

Khan, who is in Dubai, maintained that he was told that MQM’s name and the electoral symbol of Kite will not be compromised. He said he stands with the party’s name and the election symbol.

The influential MQM leader said he will make an announcement regarding his political future on his return to the country on November 9 (today).

Farooq Sattar also facing opposition from other party leaders, Shabbir Qaimhani is one of them. Qaimkhani staged walkout from the party meeting while the MQM top leadership was talking over the matter.

Talking to media Shabbir Qaimkhani criticized the hurried way of taking an important decision. “Hurriedly taken decisions could not last long,” he observed.

Meanwhile, MNA Ali Raza Abidi expressed his disapproval with the party on decision to form an alliance with Kamal-led PSP after announcing resignation from MQM-P and his National Assembly seat.

MQM-P’s name, electoral symbol to remain unchanged: Sabzwari

On the other hand, senior party leader Faisal Sabzwari asserted that his party did not merge with PSP, formed a political alliance instead.

The alliance was important due to exacerbating political uncertainty in the city, he said.

Sabzwari unequivocally denied an impression of merger with Kamal-led PSP. “We are just having a dialogue with PSP on the mechanism for a political alliance. “MQM-P’s name, electoral symbol, and flag are going to remain unchanged,” he said.