KARACHI: MQM-Pakistan lawmaker Shazia Javed was taken to hospital on Tuesday after she allegedly overdosed on sleeping pills in an attempt to commit suicide. The whole affair is shrouded in mystery as explanations offered by MQM leaders and the lawmaker’s family are in conflict. According to her family members, Shazia, an MPA from Baldia Town, had been depressed for several days due to MQM infighting. They said she was suffering from a lung ailment for which she was taken to the hospital on Tuesday. The relative, who requested anonymity, denied reports that she was contemplating leaving MQM and joining PPP. On the other hand, MQM leaders said that Shazia had been depressed over allegations that she had took a bribe to vote for PPP in the recent Senate polls. Earlier, a video message had surfaced on social media showing Shazia Javed rejecting as baseless all allegations against her relating to Senate polls. Abbasi Shaheed Hospital sources said that Shazia was brought to the hospital in a state of unconsciousness. They said that there was no evidence based on medical examination conducted at the hospital that she had overdosed on sleeping pills. Speaking to the media, the hospital medical superintendent said, “I believe that given the current [political] context, it is possible that she was experiencing severe mental stress. Because of that, gastric pain and hyper-acidity can occur,” he said. According to Baldia SHO Chaudhry Aslam, the police have not received the medical report yet. They have been told that it was a suicide attempt, so they’re looking into the claim. “We are looking into the matter as it has been reported in media as a suicide attempt,” he told Daily Times. Talking to the media outside the hospital, Shazia Javed’s father held Farooq Sattar responsible for his daughter’s condition. Furious about MQM’s dismal performance in the Senate poll, Sattar had lashed out at members of his own party and had alleged that the PPP bought some MQM-P members in its attempt to secure the most number seats in the election. As a result of Sattar’s allegations, Shazia and fellow MPA Naila Munir released video statements in which they said that they were frustrated and angry because of the differences in the party and the persistence of Dr Sattar in nominating Kamran Tessori, who was the main reason behind the split over the Senate polls. Both said that they had not voted for MQM-P nominees but rejected rumours that they made any deals with another political party. Shazia and Munir said that they were not associated with any of the MQM-P groups and that they would prefer sitting home, instead of becoming a part of the infighting. Published in Daily Times, March 7th 2018.