In the world of Pakistani politics, very few players are actually gone for good. One can be accused of murder, treason, or any other crime, sometimes even convicted, and yet your political support will stay unswerving. After the seemingly abrupt end to Altaf Hussain’s connection with MQM, questions are being asked about the future of the mohajir demographic, and about the fate of this voter bank now that the founder of MQM has been removed from the equation.

While his severed ties with MQM might not be permanent (Pakistani politics has a way of allowing for resurgence), the MQM already has contenders for its voters, now that the blind loyalty to Altaf Hussain is no longer a problem. Mustafa Kamal wants some of these voters to look to his party, Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), MQM (Haqiqi) wants a share of the pie too while MQM while continue to make desperate bids to prove its loyalty to the state and hold on to its voters.

But as the effects of one cult of personality will die down, experts are arguing that another might just emerge, in the face of an old leader, one that led the country without democratic franchise for eight years. But the biggest challenge currently looming in front of former dictator, Pervaiz Musharraf – before any attempt at political resurgence is made – is the fact that he cannot come back to the country without facing trial proceedings. But that has not stopped him from giving regular interviews about the country’s political trajectory, defending old policies made during his time in power, or even offering an alliance to the resident problem-child of Pakistani politics, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

The problem however, with Karachi’s changing political landscape, is the mohajir community is not only being targeted by its own leaders, but also by other national political parties, chief among them PTI, ever since the May 2013 elections. Musharraf, or indeed anyone else, still have a lot to do to try and take MQM’s voters away from it. This was all the more obvious after their Mayor was elected while he was in police custody, merely a day after the entire anti-Pakistan speech episode. If anyone but the MQM wants more from the mohajir in terms of votes, asking for loyalty on the basis of the community’s shared history might be the only way to break the hegemony of MQM in Karachi.