For MQM, its foot soldiers switching sides is a serious problem

Sector in-charges including that of Burnes Road come out of hiding and join PSP

Karachi

Many sector and zonal in-charges of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, who were in hiding because of the criminal cases they faced or being sidelined by the party, have resurfaced and joined the Pak Sarzameen Party for a clean chit – one such case, that of Burnes Road sector in-charge Akram Rajput emerging on Monday.

Though Akram has joined the PSP on March 3, he has come out of hiding now after three years and returned home in the Burns Road area to his family and friends.

He received a grand welcome in his area, friends and relatives hugging him while he kept waving at his colleagues.

Akram told The News that many other supporters MQM activists and supporters too had quit the MQM and were now affiliated with the PSP. “Many more are expected to follow as those who had left their families for the last three years now want a life without any fear and violence and in the PSP, they have found their saviour,” he added.

The sector in-charges of Ranchore Line and Kharadar who too were underground for three years have joined the PSP. However, they are yet to expose themselves to the media yet even though they have returned home and moving around publicly, proudly announcing that they have joined the PSP.

Following the formation of the PSP by former Karachi mayor Mustafa Kamal, cracks have started appearing within the MQM and many of its old guards are expected to join the dissident side.

Senior MQM office-bearers who were nominated in criminal cases or sidelined by the party are joining the PSP, either to escape the charges they are facing or after being pressured by certain quarters to do so.

Some political observers feel that MQM supporters switching sides in large numbers is a serious challenge for the party. Others believe that the mass support base of MQM is still intact and its success in the by-elections and the recently concluded local government polls proves that.

Afaq Ahmed, the chairman of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi, has also claimed several times that many members of the Urdu-speaking community supported his party but he had told them to stay low. Haqiqi is focusing on gaining the support of the younger generation. The same PSP has been insisting that it does not intend to dent the vote bank of any party but was mobilising citizens for a clean and honest political party. 

An MQM source believes that the party’s supporters had no other option but to join the PSP or else they would have to face the consequences for staying loyal to their party.

Another source told The News that both the MQM and the Haqiqi had been warned by certain quarters to not speak against the PSP and allow it to operate on the political ground.