It has become an established method: reports of certain cases implicating a member of assembly belonging to the Farooq Sattar-led Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), also known as the MQM-Pakistan or MQM-P, appear in the media.
After a couple of appearance before Rangers or other law enforcement agencies, mandated with probing into criminal charges, the member in question, one day calls a press conference.
Leaders of the Mustafa Kamal-led Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), flank the member in question.
At the press conference, the member in question announces defection to the PSP, vows to fight corruption and work for peace in Karachi, and tenders resignation from the assembly. The defector is soon declared innocent by the probing authorities and the life goes on.
The MQM leaders’ defections to the PSP has, so far, failed to crack the MQP-P as barring two, all the seats vacated by defectors, were reclaimed by the MQM.
The PSP, on the other hand, shows no interest in bye-elections and keeps on accumulating the prized defectors.
The latest defection, however, changed the pattern.
On last Sunday, Karachi Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra quit the MQM-P and joined the PSP without tendering resignation from the seat. It seems the previous pattern of defectors’ resignation from the assembly fired back as the MQM-P always emerged victorious in bye-elections.
Now, the defectors will stay in the party trying to create more defectors.
Arshad Vohra, once a diehard MQM-P leader, says the MQM-P has so many groups within because of leadership and vision crises. He refused to offer his resignation from the seat, challenging his former party to bring a no-confidence move to de-seat him.
He also said the MQM-P had failed to meet its promises made to the people during the elections. It is a matter of weeks, if not days, when charges of money laundering against Arshad Vohra will be dropped.
Not a bad bargain, at all.
It is time for the MQM-P to say ‘enough is enough’.
Sensing the pattern and hidden hands behind the defection, Farooq Sattar has threatened en masse resignations of its legislators from the national and Sindh assemblies if more of its lawmakers switched sides. He says despite their policy to part ways from party founder, Altaf Hussain, it seems the party has not been forgiven.
Hands are still working to oust the party from the mainstream politics.
Without any dispute, Farooq Sattar is pointing fingers at the establishment, which has long been their partner in the Karachi politics. Army dictator Zialu Haq had first patronised the party, then known as the Muhajir Qaumi Movement in the 80s, only to weaken the Pakistan People’s Party.
The party, however, later followed the extra script, annoying the establishment. Since its inception, it has gone through many low times, but every time emerging stronger after crises. The establishment had created the MQM-Haqiqi to weaken the MQM, but it failed to inspire the urban population of Sindh.
The last operation, by Rangers and Sindh police, however, has broken the armed wings of the party. Altaf Husain faces speech ban, which is working well.
The ongoing fragmentation of the MQM, under the establishment, will only strengthen pro-Altaf Hussain factions, which are at the moment working for the right time to strike back.
The best course for the establishment is not to muddy the politics of Karachi with its constant interference and let the people decide about their representative.
People’s choice is the best choice.
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