KARACHI - Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) on Thursday gave another blow to Muttehida Quami Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) as another member of Sindh Assembly from the party Sheeraz Waheed announced to join former mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal-led PSP.

Sheeraz, who was elected MPA from the provincial assembly constituency PS-123-Korangi in the last general elections, announced his decision while addressing a press conference here at PSP headquarters Pakistan House.

Flanked by PSP head Mustafa Kamal, Waheed said that he would soon tender his resignation while the major reason of his quitting MQM-P was party chief Altaf Hussain’s anti-state speech he had delivered on August 22.

“I had earlier decided to quit MQM, but was waiting for a suitable time to announce my decision,” said Waheed, adding that MQM-P and MQM-London were the two sides of the same coin.

He further said that MQM-Pakistan was trying to convey the impression that it had disassociated itself from MQM-London. “But MQM-P leadership is not only funding the London chapter, but is also toeing its lines,” he said, and added, “Realizing gravity of the situation, I have decided to quit the party.”

Waheed said that his family had been affiliated with MQM for years and his mother had also sacrificed her life for the party. “It is unfortunate that MQM-P failed to stick to its agenda and did nothing for the Urdu-speaking community,” he said, and vowed to continue his political carrier under the leadership of Mustafa Kamal and Anis Qaimkhani. Speaking on the occasion, PSP Chairman Mustafa Kamal thanked the people of Karachi for their participation in party’s public gathering last Sunday.

He welcomed Sheeraz Waheed, and said that PSP doors were open for all.

He reiterated that he would not indulge in politics of ethnicity.

Kamal further said that the quality of newly constructed roads in Karachi was very poor. “Shara-e-Fasial was recently rebuilt, but it also caved in,” PSP chairman deplored. He said he would continue to raise voice for the rights of people.

Seconding MQM-P’s concerns, Kamal said that population of Karachi and Hyderabad was shown less in the recently held census, which, he added, was sheer injustice with the residents of urban region of Sindh. Referring to Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, he said that he had conveniently ignored the people of Karachi and Hyderabad. “It is due to the fact that they do not belong to CM`s community,” he added.

“PSP raises voice for the issues of people, which they have been facing for long, but the CM, instead of listening to me and my party men, brand this as politics,” said Kamal. He said that PSP’s politics was not based on ethnicity, as party’s leadership talked about irregularities across the country.

“But unfortunately, the provincial government portrays a false image of the party,” he deplored.