Salman Mujahid Baloch joins Kamal’s PSP

Former Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmaker, Salman Mujahid Baloch, was officially unveiled as the Pak Sarzameen Party’s latest high-profile recruit at a press conference on Friday.

Baloch, a national assembly member elected from Keamari NA-239, had been expelled from the MQM-P in October this year after he aired his grievances with the party in a television interview.

PSP chief Mustafa Kamal, speaking at Friday’s press conference, hailed Baloch’s switch as an important victory for his party. “People who were associated with MQM-P are joining our ranks every other day. This never-ending series of defections has them [MQM-P leaders] worried, which is why they found it necessary to hold a public rally [in Hyderabad],” he said.

Commenting on the MQM-Pakistan’s inception, Kamal said a “new party had been formed by carrying out ‘China-cutting’ within the MQM founder’s original party.” In the interview which led to his expulsion, Salman Mujahid Baloch had spoken about a leadership split within the MQM-Pakistan, saying that Dr Farooq Sattar and Amir Khan were heading separate groups.

As per Baloch, the official MQM-P chief had the support of Kamran Tessori, Kanwar Naveed Jameel and Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, while Khan’s group included Faisal Sabzwari, Khawaja Izhar and others.

The MQM-P, consequently, issued a statement announcing that MNA Baloch’s basic party membership had been revoked “for serious violation of party discipline”. The statement declared that all workers and office-bearers of the MQM-P had been told that Baloch had no links with the party anymore.

Speaking on Geo News’ show ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, Baloch had said, “They [MQM-P] cannot expel me. This party is not any individual’s property; no one inherited it through their father’s will and this party belongs to every common man of Pakistan.”