KARACHI - The Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) and Mohajir Qaumi Movement on Monday accepted Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) invitation for a multi-party conference to be held on August 22 — which MQM has termed its Youm-i-Nijaat (Day of Deliverance).
Addressing a joint press conference at the party’s headquarters PSP leader Anees Advocate said that PSP would join MQM-P in trying to find solutions to Karachi’s problems.
“However, we hope that on August 22, when a number of people will be celebrating Day of Deliverance, MQM-P will put forward a clear stance against Pakistan’s traitor,” the PSP leader said while referring to MQM founder Altaf Hussain.
“Parties need a joint strategy against that traitor and his followers who are still trying to remain connected to him — some of whom are doing it openly while others are doing it behind our backs,” the PSP leader said.
Discussing the agenda of the multi-party conference, MQM-P’s Amir Khan said: “We plan to bring everyone on the same page on various matters, including empowering the municipal system in the entire country, not just Karachi or Sindh.”
He said that members of the conference will also discuss ways to eradicate corruption and devise a strategy against anti-state elements.
“We have invited the PSP to this conference, along with other parties, so that we can sit together and come up with a joint strategy to defeat all of Pakistan’s problems,” Khan said.
He expressed satisfaction with PSP’s acceptance of his party’s invitation.
An MQM-P delegation led by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui also met PPP’s senior lawmaker Nisar Ahmed Khuhro to invite the latter’s party to the gathering. Khuhro informed the delegation that a decision to attend the meeting will be taken after consultation with the party leadership.
Sources privy to the matter revealed that the talks among the different factions have been continued for last couple of months. “Leadership of MQM Pakistan and MQM Haqiqi considered very much close to work together,” they said.
Later, an MQM-P delegation met Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi chief Afaq Ahmed, who accepted the invitation to attend the meeting, terming the convergence of the so-called mohajir political parties a “good omen” for the residents of Karachi.
August 22 marks a year’s passing since Hussain’s anti-Pakistan slogans and hate speech which also sparked violence in Karachi’s South district. The chief had directed the crowd to proceed against the offices of private TV channels and the Sindh Rangers. He even called on them to lock down the Sindh Secretariat.
A day after Hussain’s speech, Sattar said that the MQM would henceforth operate from Pakistan alone and that all decisions would be made from the country — a statement that brought into effect the ‘minus-one formula’.
MQM-P delegation also held meeting with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Asad Umer, Imran Ismail and Ali Zaidi. During the meeting various issue of Karachi and others came under discussion. On the occasion MQM-P delegates invited the PTI leaders to attend party APC begin scheduled today (Tuesday).
Separately, a delegation of MQM-Pakistan faction visited Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi headquarters Idara Noor-e-Haq to invite the later to an All Parties Conference (APC) being hosted by MQM on the issues pertaining to Karachi.
Following a meeting between the leaders of the two parties, a press conference was held. Speaking on the occasion, JI Karachi chief Engr Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman welcomed the MQM’s message of reconciliation. “If a process of reconciliation has been initiated after learning from a long series of bitter experience then it should be welcomed.”
Earlier, the MQM’s delegates, led by Ameen-ul-Haq informed the media that they invited the JI to join their hands on a three-point agenda. The said unity against the enemies of Pakistan and those who announced black day on August 14 was on the top of their agenda. The second and third points on the agenda were struggle against corruption and seeking powers for the city mayor, respectively.
They also highlighted and appreciated the role of late Abdul Sattar Afghani, Nematullah Khan and late Prof Abdul Ghafoor for the progress and development of the city.
Engr Naeem maintained that Mohajirs rendered a lot of sacrifices to establish the country and they were affected most by the politics of divide and rule. He said that each and every citizen should come forward for stability of the country. Talking about corruption, he said that the JI had already been raising its voice against corruption. “JI demands across the board accountability,” he said.
He went on to say that the mayor of such a big megalopolis should be elected directly.
Talking about the invitation, he said that a decision would be taken after consultation with party leaders. Deputy mayor Karachi Arshad Vohra, JI leaders Abdul Wahab, Usama Razi, Birjees Ahmed, Muslim Pervez and other were also present on the occasion.
Also, the MQM-P leaders held meeting with MQM-Haqqiqi Chairman Afaq Ahmed and JUI-F Qari Usman and invited them to participate in the APC.
WASAN TERMS MOVE ANTI-PPP ALLIANCE
Sindh Minister for Industries Manzoor Hussain Wasan, who usually forecasts the future political scenarios, has said that he is not seeing any political future of Imran Khan.
“However, Bilawal Bhutto has a bright future in politics,” he said this while talking to media at his office on Monday.
He further said that the political future of former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also looks in doldrums and it is better for him to avoid holding press conference again and again and should issue statements through his spokesperson.
“The wish of Chaudhry Nisar to become prime minister or pave way for Shehbaz Sharif will never be fulfilled,” he said. He further asked the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to leave the track of collision for the sake of democracy as any collision between the institutions could lead towards the delay in general elections.
He said that certain invisible forces are trying to unite all factions of MQM and their efforts could bear fruitful before the next general elections.
He further said that the aim of this unity and further joining of other losers from Sindh political arena is aimed at creating joint opposition against PPP in next general elections. But all of these efforts will go in vain, he claimed.