The excessive movement of the MQM on the political front underlines two things: either it is feeling acutely insecure at the hands of its main ally, the PPP, heightened further with the exit of the JUI-F from the coalition or it has a grand design this time to fulfill.
Ever since Fazlur Rehman announced its decision to withdraw his party from the PPP-led government, the MQM is back in action making contacts with everybody from Ch Shujaat Hussain and Salim Saifullah to nonentities like Sheikh Rashid and Ejazul Haq.
Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman has been the focus of special attention by most players active these days. But MQM stands out in the latest political wheeling and dealings with its leaders in constant contact with Maulana, as if encouraging him to hold his ground.
MQM supremo Altaf Hussain called him as soon as he quit the coalition government, followed by similar contacts from leaders of his party. Most analysts found the latest political turnaround quite meaningful. At the heart of the political machination could be the growing insecurities of MQM in vis-a-vis the PPP and the ANP in Sindh where it has been increasingly exposed by the PPP leaders, a scenario quite favourable to the ANP. After Fazl’s exit, the MQM’s insecurities exacerbated as if the PPP had some other plans in the offing. Hence, all the movement on the part of the MQM leaders to fathom what Fazl is up to and what other players are thinking about the crisis and in the process to guage how serious the damage done by the JUI-F’s decision to part ways with the PPP is and more importantly what should be the MQM line of action in the light of the recent political showdown is.
Of course, it is also a good time to extract some more political concessions from the PPP or at least stop Zulfiqar Mirza’s outbursts that have damaged the credibility of the MQM in Sindh. But well-informed political leaders watching the non-stop hyper political activity and attention focused on Fazl by political figures and the media believe that the MQM cannot make these contacts with other parties on its own without the encouragement and blessings from somewhere else. “Most players active these days including the MQM have a common reputation that they cannot act independently. Their hobnob with the establishment is a well-known fact,” a senior Islamabad-based politician commented.
The hyper movement on the part of the MQM and other players is part of a grand design to be executed in the coming days. It is believed that first of all these contacts underline a desire not take any big political decision in isolation. It is believed that these contacts could lead to the formation of a grand alliance soon.
