Sattar announces to withdraw his senate candidates

Naimat Khan

KARACHI: A Typical MQM drama which continued for nearly two weeks unfolded when Farooq Sattar, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan Chief Dr Farooq Sattar announced to give power to Rabita Community to finalize four names for the senate polls.

“You give me four names and I will announce and those forms I have submitted will be withdrawn,” he addressed the Rabita Committee in his message, adding that his decision was aimed at protecting MQM-P from being divided.

Hours after being removed as convener, Farooq Sattar announced to dissolve the Rabita Committee while addressing a gathering at PIB Colony.

“This is only for the sake of saving the party and voters from further division and rift. I don’t have my own candidates. I have only decided it to protect the 40 years of struggle by MQM,” he said in his televised press conference.

“This decision, which we have taken with consultation, should not be seen as someone’s victory or defeat,” he said.

“After days of consultations, we have decided to offer those in Bahadurabad that they can submit their four names for Senate nominations and we will accept those,” said the party leader.

He further said that he was willing to take four names for Senate from the opposing group and will “support the names without comment”.

Sattar said the issue was not related to his ego as “if it was about Farooq Sattar’s ego, the issue would be left hanging”.

Referring to the party’s opposing group which emerged over Senate nominations, the MQM-P leader further said that the workers were with him and the perception should not be given that he was being stubborn.

He also said that a notice has been served to the Bahadurabad leaders regarding their convention being held today.

MQM-P’s Bahudurabad faction member Aminul Haq welcomed Sattar’s offer and said he will convey it to the Rabita Committee.

Haq again reiterated the faction’s stance and said they had visited Sattar at PIB on three separate occasions and the entire Rabita Committee also waited for him over an hour.

We had also asked Sattar to head the Rabita Committee and had asked him to visit Bahadurabad multiple times, but sadly Farooq bhai did not even try to meet us even once, the MQM leader lamented.

Amin added that the Rabita Committee can remove whoever it wants with a two-third majority and they have submitted a copy of the party’s decision to the ECP.