Move comes two days after his release from Rangers
KARACHI: Muttahdia Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Asif Hasnain on Sunday joined the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP). Asif Hasnain, who was elected from NA-255 Karachi in the 2013 general elections, also announced to resign as an MNA.
Asif Hasnain was addressing a joint press conference along with PSP Chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal.Speaking to journalists, Mustafa Kamal invited others to also join the party. “If you have a problem with Altaf, leave the mandate. It is not your mandate, it is his mandate," Kamal said.
The PSP chief was critical of Farooq Sattar's announcement that the MQM had completely disassociated itself from the party's London based supremo. "This is a fixed match," he claimed. "There is an understanding between Farooq Sattar and Altaf Hussain."
Kamal rejected the MQM's statement that the party chief was taking time to improve his health. "Altaf is making speeches in the entire world. Farooq Sattar said he was resting but he is making more phone calls than Sattar," said Kamal.
"They are lying even today. We know Altaf's DNA well. He will never, as long as he is alive, let anyone else lead his party. He killed whoever was capable of doing so. He killed Azeem Tariq. He killed Imran Farooq," the PSP chief alleged.
"Farooq Sattar now takes guards everywhere and goes and sleeps in the Avari after he is done with work. Who is he hiding from? The Taliban? He is hiding from Altaf," Kamal said. People who are still part of the MQM are there because they are trying to save their jobs, Kamal said. "They are afraid they will lose all their perks and privileges."
He said that Asif Hasnain had joined them after abandoning the mandate of MQM. "Asif decided to join the PSP after Dr. Farooq Sattar created confusion about the fate of Altaf Husain as the MQM supremo," said Kamal urging Sattar to speak the truth.
He accused Altaf Hussain of getting the senior MQM leaders Azeem Ahmed Tariq and Dr Imran Farooq killed. "If you have a problem with Altaf Hussain, leave the mandate. It is not your mandate it is Altaf's mandate," Kamal said.
Kamal said that other leaders of the MQM should not only distance themselves from the party founder but also need to kick his mandate. The PSP leader claimed that no changes were made in MQM's Rabita Committee further, adding that the MQM-Pakistan was no different from the MQM-London.
Mustafa Kamal said that the MQM founder shall once again take control of the party after the elections and party leader Farooq Sattar shall be silenced. He further said that Sattar was making attempts to protect the MQM founder, adding that he (Sattar) needs to speak the truth. The PSP leader said that this joke should now come to an end along with the process of double crossing the public.
On the occasion, Asif Hasnain said that he had no justification to remain a part of the MQM after the anti-Pakistan speeches from the party's platform. "After Altaf Hussain delivered an anti Pakistan speech, I immediately called Mustafa Kamal and told him that I wanted to join the PSP. Mustafa Kamal had to visit Dubai and that's why my joining got delayed," Asif Hasnain said.
He asked the voters of MQM to shrug off all the pressures and fears and avail the option of PSP in the next elections. Earlier this week, Asif Hasnain was detained by Rangers at the Karachi airport before he was boarding an Islamabad bound flight. However, he was released two days ago.
