Since August 26, 2016, MQM has been disintegrating with each passing day; the internal differences in MQM have increased to such an extent that what used to be decided in a room is now reaching the workers through the media. Attempts to bring each other down have weakened the MQM to such an extent that the Coordination Committee has lost its decision-making power and confidence. Now the telephone call is awaited, and then the decision is made. An example was Dr Farooq Sattar’s statement on the media when he was asked what the obstacle to his return to MQM was.
Pointing to the shoulders, the doctor said that the “Buzargun” has forbidden. Before that, MQM convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui confirmed the “instructions received over the phone”.
When the differences became too much, Farooq Sattar had to say that “There are differences within the party, but now MQM has become a ‘sign of lesson’.” MQM is losing its identity due to weak organizational structure and constant differences. Despite having seven seats in the National Assembly, MQM is not being taken seriously.
Capitalists, industrialists and vaderas are given high positions in the party by securing the services of long-time party workers. This is why many workers and sympathizers have separated themselves from MQM. Some old officials are still associated with MQM; they are neither included in the decision-making process nor as important in the party as before. And there is respect.
There was a time when Dr Farooq Sattar stood in front of the entire coordination committee to make Kamran Tesori a senator. These differences escalated to such an extent that the coordination committee removed Dr Farooq Sattar from the convenorship and expelled him from the party. Some friends say that because of Kamran Tesori, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan was divided into two parts. There was something else which is still a mystery. Farooq Sattar tried several times to become a part of MQM Pakistan, but a group did not want Farooq Sattar to be taken back into the party. Despite agreeing on all matters, Farooq Sattar could not return to MQM. Under pressure, Farooq Sattar decided to contest the election against the candidate of MQM on NA-245. Tehreek-e-Insaf candidate Mahmood Maulvi won this seat by getting 29 thousand 475 votes. Moeed Anwar of MQM got 13 thousand 193 votes. Farooq Sattar got 3479 votes as an independent candidate.
After expelling Doctor from the party, the coordination committee directed the workers not to have any contact with Farooq Sattar. Now the same coordination committee has reinstated Kamran Tesori to his previous post. This question arises why did Kamran Tesori disapprove before; how did he become acceptable now? Farooq Sattar was expelled from the party for the crime of supporting Kamran Tesori. Will Dr Farooq Sattar be restored to the same position?
Kishore Zehra, a member of the coordination committee on the rehabilitation of Kamran Tesori, has expressed serious reservations. He says that the wishes of a few people are being imposed on the heads of all the members. According to the sources, the party officials expressed reservations about the return of Kamran Tesori and said that if the party’s decisions have to be made by four people, then we sit at home. The angry group has threatened that we will be free to decide if the party leadership does not reconsider its decision.
Dr Sagheer, Wasim Aftab and Salim Tajik, who joined MQM, have also been included in the coordination committee. Rauf Siddiqui and Sadiq Iftikhar Coordinating Committee Member. Abdul Waseem and Khawaja Izharul Hasan were made Deputy Convenors. Officials and workers have also expressed their reservations about these decisions. The news of differences in MQM was common, but these decisions have fueled the fire. Kamran Tesori had been a cause of division and chaos in the party, and now again, his inclusion has further fueled the internal rift. Federal Minister Aminul Haque said that “disagreement is the beauty of democracy. MQM is a democratic party; the coordination committee members express their differences, and the coordination committee does not take any decision without consultation.”
There was a time when the criteria for giving positions and responsibilities in MQM was loyalty to the organization. The martyrs’ family was prioritized if someone was given a position after the workers. The workers must be asking whether Sadiq Iftikhar has been made the special assistant of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The entire MQM is silent on this appointment.
Workers have started asking questions, and they are also expressing their anger. People are also expressing their anger due to the non-resolution of public issues. MQM workers’ grief and anger can be estimated from these two incidents. According to media reports, the funeral prayers of missing MQM worker Waseem Raju were performed in Shah Faisal Colony. Meanwhile, some people in the crowd got angry and “they abused Aamir Khan and Faisal Sabzwari and pushed them.” While during the funeral prayer of another missing worker Abid Abbasi, slogans were raised against Wasim Akhtar and Kamran Teri. Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that the incident of alleged misbehavior with Aamir Khan in the Shah Faisal Colony is being misrepresented. Should people not protest and be angry even after the dead bodies are found?
Activists say that how long MQM will continue to return the pleasures of ministries, MQM has been a part of the federal government with PTI and now Muslim League for four years. Despite this, instead of recovering the missing workers and solving the problems of Karachi, the situation is getting worse; if MQM wants to solve the problems of Karachi and restore the workers, then they should resign from the ministries and come out of the government and make serious efforts to solve the public problems. It is difficult for MQM that if Dr Farooq Sattar puts his candidates in front of MQM in the local body elections, the vote will be divided, and the power will also be divided. The situation seems to be that local body elections will take decisions beyond the past commitment of the people of Karachi, and the results will be very different from the expectations.