KARACHI - Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Member of Sindh Assembly Sheikh Abdullah announced to join Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) on Wednesday.
Sheikh Abdullah, who was elected from PS-97 in general elections of 2013, is considered to be the close aide of former MQM Tanzeemi Committee in-charge Hammad Siddiqui.
Sheikh, after serving at key organisational slots, was given the ticket by the party to contest general elections after Hammad endorsed his nomination following the launch of the targeted operation in Karachi.
Sheikh then left the country and was residing abroad.
Sources said that during this period, Sheikh remained in contact with Hammad Siddiqui and MQM-P. But after returning to the country, Sheikh opted to join the PSP led by former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal.
Sheikh was warmly welcomed at Nishtar Park by the PSP leaders, including Mustafa Kamal, Anis Qaimkhani and Raza Haroon. Addressing the media men on the occasion, Sheikh Abdullah said that “Today I announce to resign from the Sindh Assembly seat and will provide services to PSP as a worker.”
He said during the last 30 years, he remained the part of MQM but the party founder’s anti-state speech forced him to quit the party. “I am not afraid of any one and neither cares that MQM would brand me as ‘traitor’.
“Our forefathers sacrificed for the creation of country, and I had never thought of going against Pakistan,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, PSP chairman Mustafa Kamal welcomed Sheikh in the PSP, and stated that it was a matter of honour for the party to have a person like Sheikh in its ranks.
He said, “We never forced anyone to join the party, but only narrated the truth. This is the key reason why people are joining us.”
Kamal said that since March 3 last year many leaders of MQM-P were in contact with PSP and soon they would announce to join PSP.
Talking about PSP’s gathering to be held on the eve of Pakistan Day at Nishtar Park, Kamal informed that the party will celebrate its foundation`s day on Pakistan Day that is March 23.
“We will celebrate at night while the convention would start at 3pm,” he added.
MQM-P on Sheikh’s switching
of loyalties
Responding to Sheikh Abdullah’s joining of PSP, MQM-P spokesperson said that Abdullah is one of the senior and devoted workers of the party and earlier he had expressed his confidence in the MQM-P’s leadership with the wish to continue his services after returning back to country. “But the party is not aware who forced Abdullah to quit the party,” he added.
He further said that it was being observed for a long time that a newly formed party was forcing the political workers to join its ranks.
Terming it undemocratic, he hoped that the government would take notice of the issue.
It is pertinent to mention here that after the formation of PSP many key MQM leaders have joined Kamal’s party, including MPA Dr Sagheer Ahmed, MPA Iftikhar Alam, Waseem Aftab, ex-senator Mohammad Ali Brohi, MPA Bilquis Mukhtar, Iftikhar Akbar Randhawa, Shakir Ali, Naik Muhammad and Saleem Tajik.