Internal divisions within the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) appear to be widening, with differences no longer confined to Karachi but extending into other urban centres of Sindh and the political landscape of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), according to party sources and political observers.
The split has become increasingly visible during the AJK Legislative Assembly elections, where different factions within the party are backing different candidates.
Sources said one group within MQM-P is supporting Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) candidate Saleem Butt in the constituency LA-40. Butt, a former Deputy Speaker of the AJK Legislative Assembly, was previously associated with MQM. Another group is reportedly extending support to candidates backed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
According to sources, a PML-N delegation met MQM-P Chairman Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Tuesday to seek the party’s support in the AJK elections. Political observers believe that had MQM-P, PML-N and IPP jointly backed a single candidate in LA-40, they could have mounted a stronger challenge to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
MQM-P has fielded a candidate on only one seat from Karachi for the AJK Legislative Assembly elections, while it has not nominated any candidate for LA-34. Although the party has a candidate in LA-40, the candidate has remained largely inactive in the election campaign.
Both LA-34 and LA-40 comprise voters, a significant proportion of whom reside in Karachi, making the constituencies politically important for Karachi-based parties.
The party’s internal differences are also becoming more evident in Sindh. One faction has intensified its campaign against the PPP through public meetings and speeches, while another remains focused on negotiations with the PML-N over power-sharing arrangements, particularly the issue of the Sindh governorship.
Senior MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar recently said that no progress had been made so far by the committee formed to engage with the PML-N. He described the current week as crucial and expressed hope that a clear response would emerge.
Meanwhile, rival factions within MQM-P have announced separate political activities. Chairman Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui is scheduled to address public gatherings in Hyderabad on July 25 and Mirpurkhas on July 26, while the faction led by Anees Qaimkhani is preparing a separate public meeting in Shah Faisal Town, Karachi, on July 26, where Mustafa Kamal is also expected to speak.
In a departure from the party’s traditional practice, preparations are also underway to accord Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui a public reception and rally upon his arrival in Hyderabad on July 25.
Political analysts believe the simultaneous election campaign in AJK and parallel political mobilization in Sindh have further exposed the party’s internal fault lines. They say efforts may be made in the coming weeks to bring forward a consensus figure capable of easing tensions and stabilising the party’s internal political environment.