The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leadership surprised its supporters when it visited Wali Bagh in Charsadda on Feb 7 for the first time and offered fateha at the graves of ANP leader Abdul Wali Khan and his wife Begum Naseem Wali Khan.
The visit to Charsadda is stated to be an effort to strengthen the relationship between the two parties and this relationship may convert into an alliance in the upcoming local government elections in Sindh province, especially in Karachi.
MQM-P leader, ex-MNA Rehan Hashmi said that the visit to Charsadda was a continuance of the meetings held at the ANP Karachi office in Benaras. The MQM-P delegation first met the ANP leaders in their Benaras office almost two months ago and the follow-up meeting was held at ANP leader, Senator Shahi Syed’s residence in DHA, Karachi.
“ANP is a major stakeholder in Karachi and so is the MQM-P. We met in a cordial atmosphere in a bid to build [mutual] confidence and strengthen our relationship. The ANP leaders’ response was very encouraging and there was a friendly atmosphere. So we both decided in the meeting that we would forget the bitterness of the past and start again — [that this would be] a new beginning of relations to safeguard the interests of both communities.”
ANP Sindh President, Senator Shahi Syed corroborated the MQM-P leader’s statement, saying that the MQM-P took the initiative to meet the ANP leadership. “We welcomed them here in Karachi and Charsadda as well. We realised that this is not that MQM which was ruled by one man. So we decided to shun the bitterness of the past and start afresh to work together for the betterment of the city,” he added.
In response to a question, he said, “An alliance or seat adjustment cannot be ruled out between the ANP and the MQM-P in the upcoming LG elections. We will work together in the interest of the people; we have to give the inept PPP a tough fight.”
Rehan Hashmi, the former Chairman of DMC Central said, “The MQM-P never went for seat adjustment in the past, but now things have changed and this MQM is not the earlier one. So we may make an alliance or agree on seat adjustment where needed. But it all depends on the situation and nothing can really be said so early.”
Sources in the MQM-P said that despite the PPP’s efforts to accelerate its campaign in District Central, the MQM-P leadership felt no threat there. They claimed that while the PPP is in the provincial government and its representative is the administrator of Karachi, Murtaza Wahab, supposedly the blue-eyed boy of the Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has completely failed to deliver, especially in District Central where the PPP leadership was dreaming of getting a majority of votes.
According to a source, Murtaza Wahab has plenty of funds and all the powers needed at his disposal, but he does not have experience. He said if you visit Federal B Area, North Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, North Karachi or other parts of District Central, you will see ruined roads, potholes in many of them, open manholes, and stinking, stagnant sewerage water everywhere. This has invited people’s wrath, not sympathy for the PPP. Murtaza Wahab’s failure has been a blessing in disguise for the MQM-P.
As far as the court verdict on the LG petition filed by the MQM-P is concerned, Rehan Hashmi said, “We have filed another petition about the enforcement of the court decision. We feel the Sindh government has a feudal mindset and they don’t want to devolve powers to the lower level.”
Observers of the situation said that the MQM-P meetings with the ANP would not affect the alliance between the MQM-P with the ruling PTI in the centre. They said that the MQM wanted to seek the support of all those parties who were anti-PPP so that they could contest the upcoming LG elections to get the majority of seats and bring in their own mayor.
Another source maintained that it appeared the umpire had decided to give a role to the PSP, the JI, the PPP and other political parties in the next local government and the MQM-P and its allies would sit on the opposition benches. However, members of the MQM-P said that the party had delivered in the past even without power.
The MQM-P is hopeful about its political future being bright; they believe they will not only win the elections with the support of the people, but will also bring in their mayor with the support of their voters and allies in the local government.
