KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) is likely to suffer a major setback after the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) announced to field its candidates from Sindh in the upcoming Senate election.
The Mustafa Kamal-led PSP enjoys the support of eight members of the Sindh Assembly, who quit the MQM and joined the PSP in March 2016 after Kamal returned to the city and shook the political landscape with startling allegations against his former party.
Lawmakers who have joined the PSP include seven MPAs of the MQM-P, Muhammad Dilawar, Bilquees Mukhtar, Shaikh Abdullah, Irtiza Farooqi, Nadeem Razi, Mehmood Abdul Razzaq and Shiraz Waheed, and one MPA of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Hafeezuddin.
A PSP statement said that a meeting chaired by party president Anis Kaimkhani finalised names of party candidates to be fielded in all categories for the March 3 Senate elections.
MQM-P is set to lose its four senators — Barrister Farogh Naseem, Nasreen Jalil, Maulana Tanveerul Haq Thanvi and Col (r) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, who will retire this year, creating a void that throws the party in an uncertain situation, especially after the PSP announced fielding MQM turncoats for these slots.
The Senate elections are going to be held on 12 seats in Sindh; seven general, two each reserved for technocrats and women and one seat for minorities.
