Live drama MQM

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is returning to its old times when it was ruled by formidable and unchallenged Quaid called Altaf Husain, much before the abrupt fragmentation of the MQM and the creation of the MQM-Pakistan on August 22, 2016. The MQM of its old time used to be full of Bollywood style thrillers, such as blood, violence, hero, villain, and song, and a little bit display of love. MQM Quaid Tehreek Altaf Husain would control the party and the urban parts of Sindh through his hours-long speeches on TV screen from London, which no channel would dare to skip. He would announce a strike for something effective from 24 hours later, but his loyalists would present him the whole city shuttered within hours of the announcement. 

Some signs of the Altaf-led MQM are hitting the screens nowadays with late night hours-long speeches after the internal infightings brewed up in Farooq Sattar-led faction, called MQM-Pakistan. When Altaf Hussain was the MQM king, such internal fight was unthinkable. Now, on the issue of MQM nomination for the Senate elections, the Farooq Sattar-group and the MQM Rabita Committee have been fighting each other to no end. Both factions are adamant about fielding their own candidates. The Rabita Committee says their nominated candidates have been selected on the basis of their services for the party, loyalty, and caliber, whereas Farooq Sattar thinks that being the party head, he has every right to select the candidates.

The impasse is not a secret affair anymore, as both groups have been stealing quality air time to air their point of view for the last several weeks. The turning point, however, was on Friday when the Rabita Committee announced stripping Farooq Sattar of nominating the candidates. Hours later, Farooq Sattar shunned his signatory reconciliatory tone and tenor and announced giving a show cause notice to the Rabita Committee members of their illegal activities and also called a general house gathering on Sunday.  

Both groups seem determined not to bow to each other. Both groups stand their ground. Confused are MPAs, who are to cast their votes in the elections. Their divide will minimize the chances for MQM to get elected their representatives for the Upper House.

This is not the first time internal fissures have threatened to lead to the disintegration of the MQM.

We remember the creation of the Afaq Ahmed-led Haqiqi faction in 1990s. Much later, in 2016 former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal struck a blow to his former party creating the Pak Sarzameen Party. He has won over several MPs from the MQM-Pakistan but his popularity test has yet to sail through a general election.

It can be argued that the system Mr Hussain nurtured — one-man rule — did not allow the creation of any genuine second-tier leadership; Altaf Bhai’s word was law and there was very little internal democracy. However, even if there is a patch-up within the MQM-P, it may only be temporary and more factionalism cannot be ruled out.

It is ironic that a party that once ruled Karachi — often through strong-arm tactics — is today facing disintegration. A very real question of who will fill the MQM’s void in urban Sindh arises. The PSP, for one, is waiting to deliver the knockout blow. Things will definitely remain interesting in urban Sindh in the run-up to the general elections.