Afaq seeks MQM factions’ unity for South Sindh cause

The Mohajir Qaumi Movement — commonly known as Haqiqi even after the party no longer uses that title — has called for all the political parties representing the Urdu-speaking people, especially the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) breakaway factions, including the Pak Sarzameen Party, to unite for the cause of the South Sindh province.

The appeal was made by Haqiqi chief Afaq Ahmed on Sunday night during his party’s impressive power show at Bagh-e-Jinnah, where a large number of people attended the rally.

Speaking to an emotionally charged crowd, he said the rally was held to express the Urdu-speaking community’s anger against the alleged injustices of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the ruling parties of the Sindh and federal governments respectively.

“After realising that holding rallies and making demands alone never attracted the attention of the power corridors, people from the Mohajir community have been compelled to launch a decisive campaign for their rights in the province,” said Ahmed.

Given the change in the political landscape of the province, particularly in the urban centres, such as Karachi and Hyderabad, he wants all the relevant parties to put their differences aside to fight together for the rights of the Urdu-speaking community.

“I appeal to Wasim Akhtar, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Anis Qaimkhani, Amir Khan, Dr Farooq Sattar and Anis Advocate to forgive me. Let’s unite on a single platform,” said Ahmed, who also offered his “apologies for the mistakes in the past”.

“[Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan chief] Shah Ahmed Noorani and [Jamaat-e-Islami leader] Prof Ghafoor Ahmed have also served the community, but without using the term ‘Mohajir’,” he pointed out.

Announcing the launch of a movement for the South Sindh province, Ahmed said the Urdu-speaking community wants their own province. “Just as the Baloch have theirs, the Sindhis have theirs and the Punjabis have theirs, we also need our own province.”

He announced that a rally in this regard will be held in Hyderabad next month. “After that, similar rallies will be held in Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Nawabshah,” he said.

“If our demands are not met within two months, we will start a signature campaign for the South Sindh province on March 1, and a referendum will be held on March 23. Without a separate province, the problems of the Mohajir community will not be solved.” Ahmed said the future of the youth has been destroyed by the quota system. “The quota system should be abolished because it’s snatching away the jobs and education of the Mohajirs.”