MQM parts ways with PPP in Sindh

MQM Rabita Committee grills PPP leadership for statements made against MQM chief and mohajirs, says PPP resorting to politics of ‘hate and ethnicity’, asserts will not back out from demand for more provinces

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Sunday announced its decision to withdraw support from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led Sindh government as it condemned the remarks made by PPP Co Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari a day earlier against MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

MQM’s Rabita Committee held a press conference at the party’s headquarters Nine-Zero where the party announced the decision in response to alleged statements made against the MQM chief Altaf Hussain and the mohajirs by the PPP leadership.

Rabita Committee Deputy Convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui criticised PPP saying that the party leadership was indulging in the politics of “hatred and ethnicity”. He claimed that due to PPP’s politics of hatred, Sindh had been divided into Sindh-one and Sindh-two.

“MQM had put its credibility at stake for the sake of stability and continuation of democracy but now MQM feels that further supporting PPP would tantamount to weakening Pakistan,” he said.

“Mohajir Qaumi Movement became Muttahida Quami Movement after a brutal operation was conducted against us,” said Siddiqui, adding that PPP leader Khursheed Shah’s remarks against the mohajirs were “intolerable” and would be answered with the formation of new provinces.

Claiming that MQM’s demand for the creation of new provinces in the country was aimed at making the administration better, Siddiqui said the party will not back out from its demand.

Lashing out at the young PPP chairman, Sidddiqui said, “Bhutto’s heir can only be a Bhutto not a Zardari. What qualities does he have to be the chairman of PPP?” he asked.

“Every MQM worker is furious over the remarks made by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto against Hussain. Time and again inappropriate language was used against our leader but we had remained patient on the insistence of our party chief,” he added.

WHAT DID PPP DO?

Earlier, at a rally in Karachi, Bilawal had spoken against MQM chief, asserting that “Uncle Altaf” uttered as he “pleased”.

In a response Sunday, MQM questioned PPP’s achievements in Sindh during the past 43 years.

In a statement issued by MQM Rabita Committee on the party’s website, the PPP was accused of “destroying Karachi”.

The statement said that the MQM chief had always stood against feudalism and dynastic politics and had remained popular in the hearts of party supporters despite the “conspiracies of his enemies” and that Hussain’s political struggle of 36 years had turned the culture of feudalism and dynastic politics into an insult.

MQM questioned PPP’s achievements in Sindh during the past 43 years with regards to education and road infrastructure and what the PPP had done specifically for Naudero and Larkana during the past 43 years, alleging that the people of these areas were still living in abject poverty.

The statement claimed that when MQM received authority and power in Karachi for five years under the Local Government system, it changed the map of the city.

MQM further alleged that PPP after coming into power had not only impeded the city’s progress but caused outright destruction.

The statement asked PPP, which had sought funds from the federal government under the Karachi Package, about the sum of money its government in Sindh had released for Karachi.

The party claimed that the provincial government was not even prepared to release the salaries of its employees or pay money for the petrol of garbage collection vehicles.

The Rabita Committee statement alleged that the Sindh Health Department was practically being run by an influential personality belonging to the PPP instead of a minister.