KARACHI: Speaking to reporters after submitting his nomination papers for the constituency NA 241, leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Farooq Sattar claimed that the MQM still does not enjoy political freedom, and said that efforts were underway to push the party into a corner ahead of the general elections.
The MQM leader also claimed that the party was being denied political freedom, and demanded that the party be given access to its offices in Karachi that continued to remain closed. He also said that efforts to corner the MQM must come to an end.
Sattar also brought forward a list of complaints the MQM had and that included 165 missing persons who had not yet been recovered, innocent workers who were still in prison, and the lack of verification of the census results.
Sattar also claimed that development funds continued to be spent throughout Sindh.
Disbursing these development funds, Sattar, argued, amounted to pre-poll rigging and showed that the interim government was a mere extension of the previous PPP regime.
Sattar also lamented the fact that although there was a cap on the spending candidates were allowed to undertake, no such limit existed on party funding prior to the elections.
Sattar also clarified that he had never advocated boycotting the elections, and said that the ‘Minus One’ formula was acceptable, but efforts towards ‘Minus MQM’ would warrant strict action from the party.
The MQM leader also asked the ECP to put his name as the party’s convenor and said that the ECP should accept the interim decision.
Sattar is all set to contest elections from NA 241, 245 and 247, while he claimed that several MQM candidates were submitting their nomination papers for the upcoming elections.