F.P. Report
KARACHI: Mutahidda Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar has said that ‘some elements’ were conspiring to eliminate the party from political landscape of the country.
“The leaders of MQM are being forced to take sides and shift their loyalties. Such practices have been followed before and are being employed again”, he said in a statement.
Internal rifts within the MQM-P were said to be brewing since the start of this year, but they became much more evident, making headlines when the party virtually split into two factions
Dr. Sattar-led PIB and Amir Khan-led Bahadurabad factions conflicted over the issue of party tickets for the recently-held Senate elections.
As a result, Bahadurabad removed Farooq Sattar as party chief for “violating its constitution and overstepping his authority”.
Moreover, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on March 27 issued a verdict against Farooq Sattar removing him as convener of MQM-P. Sattar insisted that the electoral body had no jurisdiction to adjudicate the matters involving intra-party disputes.
He termed the verdict a conspiracy to implement “minus Farooq Sattar formula”. “There is something fishy going on,” he claimed.
Farooq Sattar also commented that the population of Karachi was miscounted on purpose and that it was a ruse to rob Karachi of its rights. “Conspiracy is being hatched to reduce our seats in assemblies. Our population has been showed to be 15 million less than the actual number,” he claimed.
