KARACHI - Despite all ups and downs, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is not seemed willing in making seat adjustment with any political party in Karachi but it may join the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), the group of anti-Pakistan People’s Party politicians for other parts of Sindh.
The sources said that the GDA delegation led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) leader Pir Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi called on the MQM leaders at their office on Monday to form a mechanism for supporting each other’s candidates across the province.
The party convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Amir Khan and Faisal Subzwari were present from the MQM side whereas and Pir Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi Sardar Rahim and Nand Kumar represented the GDA.
The MQM senior leader while speaking to The Nation confirmed that the meeting was held, clarifying that party would not make any seat adjustment in Karachi. He said that the MQM and the GDA may support each other’s candidates in other parts of the province. “Besides Karachi, Hyderabad and other urban areas, we also enjoy support in rural parts of Sindh where the electoral alliance can definitely give fruitful result,”
The MQM spokesman Ameenul Huq said that, “We are approaching the people as our election campaign and getting good response as ever,” He added that Karachi is their stronghold and they don’t need anyone’s help in the polls at Karachi level. When asked why is Karachi still lacking the traditional election environment, Huq said that the MQM has just started its campaign and the traditional election environment would be witnessed once again. “We will win our traditional seats from the city with ease,”
Led by Pir Pagara, the GDA is the alliance of anti-PPP parties and senior politicians including the PML-F, Awami Tehreek of Ayaz Latif Palijo, Dr Fehmida Mirza, Zulfikar Mirza, former chief ministers Ghulam Arbab Rahim, Syed Ghaus Ali Shah. Besides, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Pak Sarzameen Party were also in talks with the GDA to give tough time to PPP which had been ruling the province for last 10 years.
The political analysts believe that the PPP, which came into the power after the general elections in 2013 by getting a slight majority, may have difficulties this time around if the GDA manages to dent it at some of its traditional seats. They said that all anti-PPP forces continue working together in the polls, they may be in the position of forming a coalition government.