Lawmakers threatened against joining PSP: Kamal

Welcomes former KCCI president, other new members to party

Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chief Mustafa Kamal has accused Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) chief Dr Farooq Sattar of threatening 12 members of the national and provincial assemblies against joining the former city mayor’s party.

Addressing a news conference at the party’s headquarters, Kamal denied Sattar’s allegation that the PSP’s Waseem Aftab was forcing the incarcerated MQM-P members into joining the ex-mayor’s party.

He said his political opponents were making unfounded allegations that the establishment was arresting people and then forcing them to switch their loyalties.

The PSP chief said it was only a rumour that Aftab was meeting arrested MQM-P workers and pressurising them into joining the PSP. “Waseem Aftab did not visit the jail,” he said. “What would we do with a worker who is in jail?”

He said MQM-P members were joining his party since its inception of their own free will, adding that no one had coerced anyone to join the PSP. “They were guided by Allah to rid themselves of a life full of sins.”

Kamal claimed that Sattar, on the other hand, had threatened MNAs and MPAs affiliated with the MQM-P that he would get them arrested if they attempted to join the PSP.

He said the 12 parliamentarians were ready to join the PSP. “Farooq Sattar is threatening them with arrests to discourage them from joining the PSP.”

The former mayor said the PSP’s popularity graph had drastically risen in a short span of time, adding that the party boasted of 12,000 workers in Karachi, 6,000 in Hyderabad and hundreds others in the rest of the country.

He said the MQM-London was also scared of the PSP’s popularity and had been making similar accusations, which he denied, adding that people had been joining his party in large numbers and both the MQM factions were losing sleeping over it.

Kamal said the MQM-P was trying to distract everyone from the upcoming population count. He advised Sattar’s party to stop politicking and stay positive.

He was confident that the PSP would emerge victorious in the next general elections if the people wished to live in peace. Referring to the MQM-P workers, he said: “Our doors are always open for anyone who wishes to express regret over their wrongdoings.”

Kamal also welcomed former Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry president Saeed Shafiq, businessman Mubashir Imam and surgeon Dr Zubair Mirza to the PSP.