KARACHI - The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), once ruled urban Sindh for a long time, has lost its aura of invincibility due to factions and rifts within the party. The party has also been considered having more strong organisational structure than any other party of the country.

The party emerged in late 1980s, suffered multiple state operations because of their oppressive way to rule in urban areas of the province. The party considered unbreakable managed to handle the 1992 operation and regain the position while another operation started in late 90s. In both the operations, MQM offered resistance and managed to control the party and its structure.

MQM became a major political party as an allayed of former president of Pakistan Pervaiz Musharraf, ruled in urban Sindh since 2000 to 2008 without any interruption and managed to build-up the positive image of the party. Despite the number of issues, MQM became a part of ruling Pakistan People Party (PPP) since Musharraf era ended while operation began in September 2013, against the criminal elements pushed the party to the wall.

Party leadership within the country and abroad have had shown their reservations against the operation while operation remains continued. MQM claimed and started protest against the arrest, disappearance and extrajudicial killing of their hundreds of workers in the targeted operation drive.

The MQM senior leader wish to be anonymous told The Nation that the party remains united in all previous operations because the leadership has had intact but the decision to distance from London based leadership sabotage the party structure and division of London and Pakistan ultimately divided the party in various other factions.

He said that the party adopted the same formula to minus leadership that Dr Farooq Sattar introduced within the party. He said that the MQM have several groups within the party but all such groups were controlled by leadership alone and now MQM has no figure having an ability to control the party.

MQM leader Ali Raza Abidi while talking to The Nation said that MQM survived both previous operations because the workers and leaders were free from their economical interests but now leadership and workers both looking their economical interests on priority. Abidi declined to know the MQM revival in ideal position but suggested all the stakeholders to unit for the people of urban Sindh. He said that the scattered leadership would further harm the party and also sabotage the future of people associated with MQM and particularly Karachi therefore it’s essential for the leadership to come on a page to resolve the issues of people. He termed all other parties as status co parties including PTI, while urged that the Karachi needs a strong political body to address their issues.

It is pertinent to mention here that that after the departure of the MQM chief Alaf Hussain from the picture rifts emerged on February 5 between former convener Dr Farooq Sattar and MQM coordination committee over the distribution of the tickets intensified and result the emergence two groups – Sattar’s PIB and Siddiqui’s Bahadurabad faction. At the time of general elections, both the sides came close and decide to fight the election from a platform but the result of general and by-polls widen it once again.

Recently both the chapter had came faced to faced as on one side Sattar has announced a MQM-Nazriyati group with a demand to initiate accountability process in the MQM-P while on the other MQM-Bahadurabad led by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui revoked his membership terming the action a violation of party constitution.

Muhammad Kashif Khan who since long had served as an office bearer in MQM told The Nation there is no doubt that party is going through tough time and it requires a leader to keep the workers intact. Earlier, it parted ways from the London chapter led by MQM Chief Altaf Hussain over the anti-state speeches and later the conspirator within the party ranks made impossible for Dr Farooq Sattar to run party affairs.  The leadership of MQM in Pakistan can never think or support anti-state slogans, while being political workers were still in the field to the save the party ideology under the leadership of Dr Farooq Sattar. Whatever is being witnessed in the near past following the internal rifts was quite regrettable but Sattar was the only person who stood firm and demanded the accountability process in the party. We think it is the only way to save the party as the corruption carried out leaders was the main reason that had put the MQM on the path of destruction.

To a question about the organisational structure of the MQM, Kashif Khan admitted that it was being ruined as party workers during this period remained confused to whom they should support. But now the picture is clear that the group that is ruling the MQM along with corrupt elements would not be tolerated and efforts would be to save MQM and its ideology, he added.

“Sattar has tasked me to gathered the workers and finalise the process of intra-party election,” he said and added that MQM-Nazriyati activists along with its members were contacting the supporters and workers and revealing the facts which were main reason behind the party destruction episode. He further said Bahadurbad office has lost it confidence in party workers and few were still there as it still holds Karachi Mayor‘s slot and two federal ministries. Bahadurabad office had left with just this magnetism to attract supporters and workers whereas shunned MQM‘s ideology, he added.

Political analyst said that factionalism in the MQM had outcome a negative impression and Urdu speaking population in Karachi and other parts of Sindh who consider MQM as their saviours was witnessed confused and is uncertain about the fall-out episodes. They said that MQM‘s popularity began to questioned as it forgotten its ideology based on honesty and commitments whereas party parliamentarians were accused of corruption and many vanished from screen after making huge amount of money.