Daily Times

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which has been the dominant party in the urban Sindh, has apparently started to lose its strength and political consolidation as a number of senior members of the party are defying its directive and are bidding farewell to it. The drastic change came after the inflammatory speech of its founder Altaf Hussain in August 22, 2016 that led to the attacks on different television channels.

Subsequently, Farooq Sattar parted ways with MQM’s founder after a brief arrest and announced the formation of MQM-Pakistan.

Since the birth of MQM-Pakistan, the party has been facing the major crisis of leadership within itself. Apparently, the leaders are botched to unite and run the party, as well as the workers and the supporters in last couple of months, and all the efforts made to unite the party have gone in vain.

Even after Mustafa Kamal’s dramatic return, MQM-P has been constantly witnessing back-to-back setbacks in the form of dissent and abandonment. On the other hand, due to the political ambiguity of the party future, four MPAs and one MNA residing abroad are also reluctant to show their loyalty towards the party.

The common masses in Karachi have always been critical of establishment’s role in politics, which makes it almost impossible for notoriously pro-establishment political parties, ie PTI and PSP, to consolidate their politics in the city

MQM Pakistan has now been reduced to a small party consisting of only 29 MPAs and 17 MNAs, and it continues to lose more.

Meanwhile, the efforts of alliance got a severe blow in the last month’s senate elections when party was clearly divided apart on the issue of senate tickets. This time, jeweller-turned-politician, Kamran Tessori was the protagonist of Farooq Sattar’s script but MQM-Bahadurabad opposed his nomination and put the last nail in the unification coffin.

MQM, once the sole ruler of Karachi since 1987 till the infamous speech of party founder on 22nd august, is struggling to find a safe haven for its political survival this time.

For the first time in the history of the party, Karachiites have seen two separate foundation day ceremonies. MQM, which was known for its principles and strict party discipline is facing the biggest violation of party’s ideology and literature, senior leaders cited.

MQM’s phenomenal success was attributed to the urban middle class participation in the party. MQM’s has failed to continue its culture of bringing in fresh breed of middle class in the party and become a routine party instead a movement.

After winning its first local bodies elections in 1987, many of MQM’s elected Councillors were not aware of oath taking ceremony and very few had their own conveyance.

MQM had a history of women respect and strict discipline but earlier this month Erum Azeem Farooqui, a former MQM leader levelled allegations of harassment against MQM leadership for their offensive behaviour, as Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had used inappropriate words against women workers.

Leaders who have left the party are annoyed by the media’s role in projecting them as kites and wickets of MQM-Pakistan.

According to them they have made the decision on their own and in peoples’ best interest. On other hand earlier Dr Farooq Sattar, Nishat Zia and Jamal Ahmed disclosed that they were being forced to leave MQM Pakistan so how can common people believe that they are going with free-will.

The common masses in Karachi have always been critical of establishment’s role in politics, which makes it almost impossible for notoriously pro-establishment political parties, ie PTI and PSP, to consolidate their politics in the city.

On the other hand, Sindh government maintains its record of incompetent governance in Karachi, which diminishes PPP’s chances of winning the hearts of Karachiites.

The fact remains that whether they support the MQM-P or not, Karachiites have been disappointed by party’s poor performance and failure to deliver.

The 2018 general elections are around the corner and will be crucial for politics of Karachi and urban Sindh. The next election will be a defining moment for the party’s future.

Karachiites are still optimistic about the MQM’s fate but the party has to bring the sincerity and charisma back and prioritize people’s interests and needs.

Writer is a correspondent, Daily Times and tweets at @maferozi)

Published in Daily Times, April 20^th 2018.