Daily Times

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Dr Farooq Sattar on Saturday offered estranged members of his Rabita Committee to make a new list of four consensus candidates for the upcoming Senate elections.

Talking to reporters in PIB Colony, Sattar stepped back from his earlier demand of securing a Senate election ticket for Kamran Tessori, saying: “This problem was never about Kamran Tessori, it was something else.”

“The committee had objected to Tessori’s candidacy on February 7 and I had agreed to it right there and then. Then I couldn’t go to see them and problems escalated. Now I offer to the coordination committee that let’s draft a new list of four mutually agreed upon candidates from the total of 15 candidates. We will drop the names of whoever is controversial.”

Earlier, the coordination committee had announced that it was withdrawing the letter it had written to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in connection with nominations for the upcoming Senate elections.

The coordination committee on Friday had asked the ECP to not consider the nominations submitted by Sattar, claiming that it was the committee’s privilege to do so.

MNA Salman Mujahid Baloch on Saturday once again joined the MQM-P, nearly two months after he joined the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).

Baloch had joined PSP in December last year, about two months after being expelled from MQM-P over alleged violation of party discipline. He was the first MQM-P leader who had spilled the beans on the party’s internal rifts by confirming the existence of two groups within the party.

Baloch rejoined MQM-P after a meeting with party chief Dr Farooq Sattar on Saturday. Talking to reporters, Baloch said it was impossible for him to stay put when MQM’s leadership was going through a difficult time. He claimed that a group of people was hatching a conspiracy against the party and urged party workers to “come forward to save the party” and invited them to reach PIB colony – a reference to Dr Sattar’s residence.

Earlier on Saturday, Farooq Sattar had issued last warning to the Rabita Committee members and MPAs present in Bahadurabad to return back till Sunday.

The MQM-P chief while criticizing the Bhadurabad faction announced to send them a show-cause notice. In a meeting held at PIB Colony, Sattar revealed the story of inner differences to the assembly members.

He made it evident in his address that the dispute is not about allotting Senate ticket to Kamran Tessori but the fact is that Amir Khan wanted to get hold of the entire party.

Sattar asserted that Amir Khan intended to become MQM-Haqeeqi two. He asked the party members whether they will allow it to happen, to which they assured Sattar of their support.

On the other MQM-P’s Bahadurabad faction has maintained that the Rabta Committee will return to PIB Colony if Farooq Sattar is willing to implement on minus-Tessori formula.

Party leader Faisal Sabzwari had said that they were also running out of patience now as Sattar failed to come in Bahdurabad despite repeated requests. He articulated that they would decide later whether to respond to the show-cause notice or not if any notice is issued to them.

MQM-P MPA Khawaja Izharul Hassan on Saturday said the party infighting was disheartening the activists, particularly those in jails.

Addressing a media conference, the MQM-P MPA admitted that mistrust between the two groups existed and the efforts were being made to reunite the groups.

Taking exception to defiant Amir-led group’s objections, the MPA said the residence of Dr Farooq Sattar had previously been used temporarily as the party office, while offering a mediator’s role.

“I have offered my resignation [from the provincial assembly] as a member of intermediary committee to bring the two groups on negotiation table,” he said.

Flanked by another party leader Rauf Siddiqui, Hassan said if the impasse didn’t resolved, it wouldn’t be deemed a matter of principle.

Published in Daily Times, February 11^th 2018.