Lawyers, poets among new MQM members

Karachi

Former member of the cabinet division Mir Javed Iqbal, scholar and retired judge of the sessions court Azmatullah, Prof Muzaffar Hussain Mulathee, poet Dr Javed Manzar and senior retired professor Abdul Mailk, on Sunday, announced to join the ranks of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

The announcement with respect to their membership was made by the party’s senior deputy convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui while addressing a press conference at the Khursheed Begum memorial hall in Azizabad.

Currently on bad terms with both the provincial government and the paramilitary force owing to the ongoing Karachi operation as well as having witnessed a number of its provincial assembly members changing loyalties for the Pakistan Sarzameen Party – formed by MQM dissidents including former city mayor Mustafa Kamal – Siddiqui remarked that, “Despite all conspiracies hatched against the MQM, the party continues to earn unconditional support of intellectuals such as the ones who joined us today.”

He said the party had managed to keep its vote bank intact although the ‘powers that be’ were doing their utmost to undo the MQM’s political support.

Referring to the party’s popular ‘Mohajir’ slogan, he claimed that it was only due to the party chief Altaf Hussain that Mohajirs got an identity.

Suspended from the party in the aftermath of the 2013 general elections, Kamal and former MQM Rabita Committee convener Anees Qaimkhani announced forming their own party on March 2, this year, following a dramatic return to the city after having spent almost three years abroad.

In the first presser held by the two erstwhile members, the politicians while announcing to form a new party not only decimated the MQM chief but also alleged that the party (MQM) was funded by the Indian premier intelligence agency RAW.

The party had since had several MQM members join the PSP; however, most of them included members who had already been suspended or were considered close associates of Kamal’s group during his time in the party, they included former Rabita Committee member Raza Haroon, Waseem Aftab, Anees Advocate, MPAs Iftikhar Alam, Bilquis Muktar and others.