Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker Nabeel Gabol on Sunday joined the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
Gabol announced his decision during a press conference at the MQM headquarters Nine Zero.
Sources claimed that Gabol had been in contact with MQM chief Altaf Hussain and MQM Rabita Committee. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad played a vital role in this regard.
Upon his arrival, Gabol was greeted by MQM leaders and workers. Gabol said the PPP was no longer the party of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and he was leaving the party after 25 years.
Speaking on the occasion, MQM Deputy Convener Farooq Sattar welcomed Gabol and said his inclusion would help further the vision of the MQM chief across Pakistan, especially in Sindh.
Sources said Gabol had earlier contacted the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), but the PML-N refused to take him onboard.
President Asif Zardari had refused to award party ticket to Gabol to contest upcoming elections from Lyari.
Reportedly, Gabol had approached the PML-N for political shelter, but PML-N head Nawaz Sharif had turned down his request.
Gabol then approached the MQM to continue his political career. He would be the first politician to join the MQM before the general elections.
“If the party awards ticket to a passerby to contest elections from Lyari, he would also win,” Sindh PPP Information Secretary Latif Mughal told Pakistan Today.
“Lyari is amongst some strongholds of PPP and it is a history of party that it always wins elections from this constituency,” Mughal added.
“President Asif Zardari has already informed Gabol that party would not award him ticket for coming elections some one and half year ago,” Mughal said, adding, “PPP MNA from Lyari then approached the PML-N, but Nawaz Sharif has turned down his request of joining his party.”
“Gabol was in contact with MQM after PML-N rejected him and he had several meetings with MQM MNA Waseem Akhtar and later he joined MQM,” he said.
“Nabeel Gabol although parted ways with PPP but it would not affect the party structure in Lyari, Mughal said, adding that since he has been elected PPP MNA from Lyari, he never visited his constituency to listen problems of people there.”
“The only achievement of Nabeel Gabol is never-ending gang war in Lyari, Mughal said, accusing that Gabol also nurtured criminal gangs in Lyari.
MQM spokesman Nasir Jamal said, “Right now, he has joined the party and the decision of awarding him ticket for contesting elections in Lyari would be decided later.”
Although the reconciliatory politics launched by President Asif Zardari has succeeded in completing the government to complete its five years democratic tenure, but only Gabol did not get the fruits of reconciliation. Why?
Insiders disclosed to Pakistan Today that the PPP leadership had refused to award Gabol party ticket in the upcoming elections owing to opposition by the people of Lyari.
As the PPP leadership was finalising the list of candidates who will expectedly contest the upcoming elections, it was decided that Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would contest the elections for the National Assembly seat (NA-248) replacing the senior party leader Nabeel Gabol who took 84,217 votes.
The decision, in this regard, was taken by the senior leadership of the party and got placed before the PPP’s candidate selection board headed by chief minister, Qaim Ali Shah and federal minister Maula Bukhsh Chandio.
Throughout, the tenure of the present government, Nabeel Gabol had been at the target that included his sidelining from the party couples of times, heavy police raids on his residence that led him to go underground etc. Another reason for not selection is stated to be the complaints of people of the Lyari, which has always been the stronghold of the PPP.
Gabol sensed the gravity of the situation and negotiated with the MQM with several terms and conditions. He told the MQM leadership that he would contest upcoming elections from Azizabad, instead of Lyari.
Separately, MQM chief Altaf Hussain welcomed Gabol’s decision to join the party.
In a statement, the MQM chief said Gabol’s decision would promote brotherhood and unity in Sindh as well as Pakistan.
