Daily Times

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar claimed on Wednesday that the ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), offered him to contest the upcoming by-elections in NA-247 from their seat.

Speaking to the media, Sattar said, “PTI has offered me to join the party and contest the by-polls in NA-247 from Arif Alvi’s seat.” Mutual friends in PTI invited me to contest by-polls but I have never left my party, Sattar added.

Sattar had lost the NA-247 seat to PTI candidate Dr Arif Alvi during the July 25 election. However, the seat is now vacant following resignation of elected president Arif Alvi.

While congratulating Alvi on being elected president, the MQM-P leader said, “Alvi defeated me during the July 25 election. Now I hope he works for the betterment of Karachi. “MQM-P is an important party for the people of Sindh,” he added. “The party plays an important part in solving problems of the residents of the province,” Sattar said. “The Sindh governor, PTI and MQM-P should work together to keep a united front,” he asserted.

Moreover, the veteran MQM-P politician said, he was not consulted in decisions taken by MQM-P and he did not partake in making some decisions himself. “Whatever happened I was not disheartened but Ali Raza Abidi was disheartened and he resigned from the party,” Sattar said.

He added, “There is still time for MQM-P to correct their mistakes and compensate for the mistakes made.”

Another senior MQM-P leader, while talking to Daily Times on the condition of anonymity, shared that the decisions of the party were not being taken by the coordination committee but ‘being imported’. However, MQM-P leader Amin ul Haque denied this and said the party’s coordination committee was independent and the decisions were made after due consultation among party members. “These allegations are being churned out to harm the party,” he remarked.

According to Farooq Sattar’s close aides, Sattar is not invited to be a part of major visiting delegations but is called to attend minor events like plantation drives.

Meanwhile, MQM-P spokesman Kashif maintained that Farooq was a well-respected member of the party. “We all respect the veteran politician for all the work he has done in the metropolis,” he said. Kashif added that currently Sattar did not hold a ‘position’ so he is not called to events.

On the other hand, inside sources revealed that MPM-P politician, Haider Abbas has been entrusted with the task of placating Ali Raza Abidi by offering him PS-111 seat in Defence, Clifton area.

MQM-P senior leader Khawaja Izhar Ul Hassan said that Faqoor Sattar’s concerns needed to be addressed in meeting rooms, not publically. “I request Sattar solve his issues in room not publically, he said, adding that party leadership should also address Ali Raza Abidi’s resentment.

Separately, Daily Times learnt that during Sindh Assembly session, MQM-P parliamentarian Javed Hanif did not talk to anyone and sat away from MQM-P parliamentarians. Sources said that he was angry as MQM-P team was lending support to him in his case.

Published in Daily Times, September 6^th 2018.