Farooq Sattar floats reconciliatory talks with Khalid Maqbool

KARACHI: The disgruntled Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan leader Farooq Sattar has again pressed for talking one on one with his rival counterpart Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to work out the differences within the party. His suggestion apparently intends to corner Amir Khan and his likeminded people in their negotiations to reunite the MQM-P, Bahadurabad group, which is virtually spearheaded by Siddiqui, who however, is reluctant to accept this.

Addressing a news conference in PIB Colony on Monday, Sattar said this split is causing the MQM-P to lose its lawmakers who are switching to other political parties. Within a week, two MNAs and as many MPAs have jumped on the Pak Sarzameen Party bandwagon. "The attempts to change loyalities have started once again," he commented. He asked the Bahadurabad's coordination committee to give full mandate to Siddiqui to hold negotiations with him. "We will sit together and hold a meeting of the party's elected representatives to take them into confidence," he said, adding he is not at all angry with anyone in the party.

Commenting on the Islamabad High Court's decision that suspended the Election Commission of Pakistan's move to remove Sattar from the MQM-P convenership, he said his seat and the party has returned to him.

"The ECP should put on my name back on its website as the MQM-P's convener." He said he does not want to solve the conflict within the party through the courts and hoped that instead they could do it through mediation. He added his formula for reconciliation is the same as those of the mediators.

Over a week ago, Sattar had proposed two reconcliation formulae. He had suggested he and Siddiqui would hold an intra-party election and the winner will run the party. He had also offered Khan to contest for the convener. The other formula he put forward was about creating a balance of power in the coordination committee. Both groups should have equal representation. The current MQM-P crisis surfaced publicly earlier in the February over the nomination of Kamran Tessori, a businessman, for senator. Amid the infight, MQM-P lost three seats in the Senate.