PPP took our mayor seat, we’ll take their CM seat, says MQM-P

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said his party has started a new political journey, and now all problems will be decided in the streets.

Addressing a general workers meeting at the KMC Ground in PIB Colony, Siddiqui said the democratic system has been defeated in the local government elections, and the favourite club of rulers has won the polls. However, he added, time will prove that the houses where the MQM-P has no representation are unimportant.

He said he cannot tell the whole truth because the truth is always censored in Pakistan. However, he added, the Urdu-speaking community has rendered more than its share of sacrifices.

“If we weren’t correctly counted, they would weight us. We wanted Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan, but we’re forced to live in Bhutto’s Pakistan. The feudal and dynastic system of democracy is the biggest enemy of Pakistan.”

Dr Farooq Sattar said on the occasion that the MQM-P welcomes each and every worker participating in today’s historic movement. “If we can make Pakistan, we can also unite different communities of Pakistan. Sindhi, Baloch, Pakhtun, Punjabi, Seraiki, Gilgiti, Balti, Kashmiri — all cultural units are present here under the banner of the MQM-P.”

He said these righteous activists were with our forefathers even before the creation of Pakistan, and today they stand with the MQM-P. The landlords are on one side, and the creators of Pakistan are on the other, he added. “Today is the beginning of Pakistan’s reconstruction.” He also said Pakistan will be able to get out of economic difficulties if there is unity. “Pakistan’s politics will become stable, and the middle class will rule here. Anarchy is no longer in our dictionary. Now we’re a dynamic and united MQM-Pakistan.”

He added that the commitment is to continue to infuse young blood into the movement. “New leadership has to be brought forward to face new challenges. This is an important decision of the solidarity of ideological partners.”

Dr Sattar said the rulers’ occupation of urban Sindh is unconstitutional and illegal. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which is involved in “land grabbing, corruption and nepotism”, has been exposed in the LG elections. “The number of the PPP’s seats in the polls shows that our stand was right.”

He claimed the PPP should be ashamed of such a dirty conspiracy against the people of Karachi. “The election commission and the PPP conducted the LG polls against the will of Karachi’s people. You [the PPP] took our mayor’s seat. We will take your chief minister’s seat in October.”

He said that after so many sacrifices, the PPP cheated the MQM-P. Now the PPP leadership will come to them to take the vote of confidence and get nothing, he added. “The question is, why should we vote for you now? What have you done for Karachi? Now we’ll take care of the vote of confidence.”

Mustafa Kamal said on the occasion that Karachi is on the target of the invaders. However, he pointed out, their dreams will not be fulfilled in the MQM-P’s presence. “This is not a public meeting. This is a meeting of the righteous political workers participating in it with open eyes.” He waved his hand in the air saying: “I have a letter of abolishing Section 10A of the local government act. [In the letter] the PPP has admitted its mistake of incorrectly carving out constituencies of UCs in Karachi and Hyderabad.”

He said it was negotiating that 70 seats of Karachi have been reduced, adding that in the written letter, it was admitted that the Sindh government is wrong. “We told the rest of the political parties in Karachi to delay the elections for a month, but they opted to bargain on Karachi’s rights.”

Kamal said the opponents cannot see the unity of the MQM-P factions. “A few years ago a party had won the by-election with a fake mandate. Today it’s a disgrace in the whole of Pakistan. If a legitimate census were to be conducted in Karachi, the seats of this city would double.”

He said Karachi is a city of people who speak all languages. “The people of different communities are our real strength. We have to adopt this strength.” He warned that if they are not embraced today, the PPP will put its hands on them in Kati Pahari, Orangi and Lyari. There will be a fight, and we will forget our struggle for the basic rights of Karachi, he claimed. “We’re removing the thorns from this nation’s path. We’re brings brothers together with brothers. Today I have a bulletproof car but there’s not a poor person who can become a target of hate speech of mine,” he said.

“We don’t want a fight. We want to join hands with everyone who lives in this city. They are our brothers. Owing to our love and respect for others, today the MQM-P [Pak Sarzameen Party] has 16 municipal councillors in Balochistan.”

He also said the PPP has not given a single drop of water to Karachi for 15 years. “Our struggle against hatred and bigotry is jihad. People who want to occupy this city won’t sleep tonight,” he pointed out. “I contested the election from Baldia Town. Pakhtun and Punjabi voted for me. We have to make a joint struggle for education, food, good life. If our intention is to spread love, our sitting here is worship.”