As MQM faces another split, Mustafa Kamal invites rivals to join PSP

Amid the cementing of another split within the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Mustafa Kamal, the chief of Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), has offered his rival politicians of MQM-P and other parties to join him for a joint political struggle for the rights of Muhajirs.

“Our doors are open for all,” Kamal said on Monday while speaking at a press conference at PSP headquarters, Pakistan House, a day after the Bahadurabad and PIB groups in MQM-P, spearheaded by Amir Khan and Farooq Sattar, respectively, removed each other from decision-making positions in the party.

Kamal, a recent staunch opponent of ethno-nationalist politics, said that Muhajirs, the Urdu-speaking community living in Karachi and other urban centres of Sindh, should not lose hope in the current scenario because PSP is their “real representative.”

Commenting on differences in the MQM-P that developed over the nomination of Kamran Tessori, a relatively newer party member, for a Senate seat, the PSP chairman said the fight among of some members of MQM should not be construed as the fight of all Muhajirs.

According to the PSP chief, he stayed away from commenting on what was happening within MQM-P to dispel the impression that he wanted to benefit from their infighting. “We didn’t carry out this jihad [breaking away from MQM] for political motives, but to raise a voice for the public, leaving all our posts and their perks behind,” he said. Kamal claimed that PSP was the most rapidly growing political party in the country and the purpose of his presser was to communicate with the Urdu-speaking community. “The general impression has been that Muhajirs are either with Altaf Hussain, his MQM, or its off-shoots, which is an insult to the community,” he said.

“Altaf doesn’t represent Muhajirs. People like the first prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, revered philanthropist, Abdul Sattar Edhi, and Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation founding head Dr Adibul Hasan Rizvi are the representatives of the community,” said Kamal.

Mentioning last year’s December 24 PSP gathering at Liaquatabad flyover – the only one in which they managed to show a considerable strength, he said that the community had already given their verdict that they stood with PSP.

“Muhajirs have tried MQM, again and again, but in vain,” he remarked, “Now they have only one option from where they can get their rights and that is PSP.”