Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is hoping to get its legal offices back after it has supported the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in electing Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the new prime minister. The MQM-P had lost its offices in the wake of a crackdown against it back in August after Altaf Hussian’s anti-state rhetoric.
The MQM-P withdrew its candidate Kishwer Zehra just before the voting as it had successfully struck a deal with the ruling party for development package for Karachi and getting its offices back.
Sindh Governor Muhammad Zubair paved the way for this dialogue and also visited the MQM-P headquarter. Despite drawing criticism from some political parties, the PML-N had used the MQM-P card to show off its power in the National Assembly.
Apparently, the party will get few places back as out of the 26 sectors offices and over 200 unit offices, most were established illegally on encroached lands, amenity plots and spaces for parks. But the MQM-P aspires to get its famed Nine Zero—the party headquarters—back and its adjacent buildings. However, the headquarters is sealed with Rangers guarding the entrances.
A senior leader of the MQM-P told a national daily that PM Khaqan would work with the interior ministry to get Nine Zero cleared and hand it back to the party. He further said that it’s not just the ministry but “some other powerful quarters” too which need to be taken on board to aid this whole process.