Remaining in the PPP-led coalition had become extremely difficult for the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), as the PPP was hell-bent on damaging the political interests of the Altaf Hussain-led party, an MQM source told Pakistan Today.
“The departure of the MQM from the PPP-led coalition government was not off the cuff, rather a deliberate and well-considered act. The AJK election served only as a catalyst,” the MQM source said, adding that the PPP had constantly been damaging the MQM’s vote bank in Sindh. Asked how the PPP did that, the source said, “From the very beginning, the PPP and its leadership has been discriminating against the MQM in allocation of development funds and encouraging PPP provincial ministers and advisers to intervene in the affairs of the MQM ministers and remaining mum over the target killing of MQM workers,” the source said.
Above all, the PPP indulged in land grabbing in areas where the MQM had a substantial vote bank. When asked why the MQM always rejoined the government after parting ways and knowing all what the PPP was doing, the source said the MQM had sincerely tried to avoid confrontation with the PPP and other parties in Sindh.
“We believe that the MQM and PPP are the political realities of Sindh and they must respect the mandate of each other as it is vital for peaceful co-existence in the province. The MQM did not want to close the door for dialogue, as it could help anti-MQM elements or saboteurs to pave the way for a clash that could subsequently invite any operation to Karachi,” the source said.
“Around 300 MQM activists have already been killed in recent months, but we tolerated all that for durable peace in Karachi. But it proved counterproductive as the PPP was hell-bent on damage its ally and took remaining in government as MQM’s weakness,” the source added. He said the AJK election had proven in crystal that the PPP was not sincere at all in keeping the alliance with the MQM intact and could go to any extent in pursuit of its interests.
“The PPP first asked the MQM to withdraw its candidates from two AJK constituencies and then postponed the elections there. This act of the PPP made the MQM extremely apprehensive and convinced it that the PPP will try to rob the MQM of its vote bank by hook or crook in the forthcoming local body elections,” the MQM source said, ruling out a possibility of the MQM becoming part of the government again.
Differences: MQM spokesman Wasay Jalil said land grabbing was taking place in the areas where the MQM was in majority and the government was trying to sabotage the MQM vote bank by splitting up the population on ethnic grounds. Asked who was grabbing lands in Karachi, he said all anti-MQM elements were involved in the act, adding that the MQM had serious differences with the Sindh government over local body polls, constituencies’ delimitations, development funds and issues pertaining to the administration of the region.