Four MQM-London Activists Arrested From Hyderabad

 The law enforcing agencies have arrested four activists of MQM (London) from Hyderabad, here on Friday. In a search operation at Faqeer Jo Pirh and Hali Road, the law enforcers arrested Union Council (UC) chairman and vice chairman associated with MQM (London). 

Sources have confirmed to WiseSindh that among the arrested were Tariq Kazmi, chairman UC-9, Rafique Arain, vice chairman UC-9, while other two included Ismail Mughal and Nawab Ali, both local activists of the banned MQM outfit.

Sources claimed that they were arrested for raising slogans in favor of MQM founder 'The Bhai' and were dancing on party songs. 

                           The Bhai Banned In Pakistan:

In 2015, a ban was imposed to broadcast MQM-L founder's speech, images or even name after he was declared culprit of hate speech and instigating violence in the country, as his violent party workers attacked a media house at Karachi, the capital of Sindh.

In this regards Pakistani press reported that the Lahore High Court (LHC) directed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and Additional Attorney-General Naseer Ahmed Bhutta to implement a ban on the broadcast of images and speeches of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain across all electronic and print media till further orders.

A three-judge LHC bench headed by Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and comprising Justice Mazhar Iqbal Sidhu and Justice Erum Sajjad Gull was hearing separate cases initiated by Advocate Aftab Virk, Abdullah Malik and others against the MQM supremo.

A petition filed by Advocate Aftab Virk in the LHC earlier this year pleaded that the 'anti-army' remarks made by Altaf Hussain fell under the category of treason, and that a treason case should be registered against him.

A petition filed by advocates Abdullah Malik, Aftab, Maqsood and others, called for a lifetime ban on the live telecast of Altaf Hussain's speeches, maintaining the MQM leader was in violation of Article 5 which asks for showing loyalty to the state and obedience to the constitution, and that a case of treason should be registered against Altaf under Article 6 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

The LHC directed the Interior Ministry secretary to verify Altaf Hussain's nationality and Director-General Operations Pemra to report whether the 'blackout' had been implemented.

Responding to the LHC’s directives Director-General Operations Pemra told the court that the print media did not fall under the jurisdiction of the regulatory body.

Subsequently the bench directed Additional Attorney-General Naseer Ahmed Bhutta ensure implementation of the ban in the print media by conveying the court’s order to the chairman Press Council of Pakistan.

Ordering a complete ban on the broadcast of images and speeches of the MQM supremo till the court announced its final verdict of the case regarding to treason allegations against Hussain, the bench adjourned the next hearing until Sept 18.

The bench heard petitions filed by Virk, Malik and others seeking a ban on the media coverage of Altaf Hussain’s speeches because of his alleged remarks against state institutions, including the army and Rangers.

The petitioners had argued that Altaf was a British national and no foreign citizen could head a political party in Pakistan under the Political Parties Act. He had no right to deliver speeches on television channels in Pakistan, they had said.

During that hearing, a law officer had informed the court that Pemra had already banned the live telecast of Altaf Hussain’s speeches.

                        MQM Split Into Fractions:

Karachi based journalist Mazhar Abbas wrote about this situation mentioning: 

"MQM has been hijacked or rescued, but it has certainly been divided with little hope to reunite. The infighting within the party is likely to intensify in the coming weeks and months, and this Great Divide has divided the strong Muhajir vote bank as its political Titanic is sinking. This is the worst year in MQM's 35-year-old politics and it is meaningless to go into a blame game as the worst suffers remain its voters.  

The politics based on ' Manzil nahi rahnama,' has now entered into a crucial phase and the next election would determine how much the Muhajir vote bank has been divided. Ironically, the division has come at a time when there is a possibility that after Census and delimitation, seats of Karachi, would increase in good numbers but the city is likely to have more than two or three representative parties.

Every party now hopes to see further division in MQM's ranks and files and awaits the final outcome of the infighting between MQM London, MQM Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP). The parties which have the capacity to fill the vacuum include Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, all three facing difficult situation since 2013 elections. But the MQM's divided house has provided them an opportunity to make inroads in its strong constituencies since 1987.

The fractions within MQM, have now turned into a power struggle particularly within MQM Pakistan and MQM London as the workers of the two factions are now heading for possible confrontation as witnessed in the last few days.

Although, PSP, led by former MQM leaders, Mustafa Kamal, Anis Qaimkhani and Raza Haroon continued their attack on MQM founder Altaf Hussain, the reaction from London is more against MQM Pakistan than PSP and understandably.

PSP is a new party, has broken all its ties with MQM and is ready to challenge Altaf Hussain from its own platform. It will contest the next elections as PSP with its own flag and election symbol. Thus for MQM it’s a different kind of challenge and they are confident of taking PSP like any other party.

PSP also intends to increase pressure on MQM Pakistan, to abandon the party and join its fold, something which so far has been rejected by Dr. Farooq Sattar.

In the next 30 days both MQM Pakistan and PSP will demonstrate their respective show of strength. While PSP has picked Hyderabad, as it remains the stronghold of its President Anis Qaimkhani, on November 25, MQM Pakistan has announced its public meeting on December 25th.

This show of strength is not only to demonstrate its own working and support but also the message to the establishment, as to which group has more weight. It is also interesting that PSP and MQM Pakistan are demonstrating in two different cities which once remained the stronghold of united MQM.   

For MQM London, MQM Pakistan is a bigger problem than PSP, as it controls the party's organisational set up and also representation in the Assemblies and local bodies.

Secondly, in the eyes of the law MQM, Pakistan is not only registered with ECP but in the next election will contest with its election symbol Kite.

MQM Pakistan, early this month held its intra-party elections and elected Dr Farooq Sattar as its convener replacing Nadeem Nusrat. Nadeem Nusrat’s name as convener was pending in the ECP due to incomplete election results of the last elections.

The ECP has also issued the certificate to MQM, and has accepted Dr Farooq Sattar as its new convener.

 With this new development MQM Pakistan’s separation from MQM London, has now been completed or in other words separation has now turned into divorce.

Thus the reaction from London on Thursday was understandable and its leaders Nadeem Nusrat, Mustafa Azizabadi and others have accused Dr Farooq Sattar, Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar, leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly Khawaja Izhar ul Hasan and Faisal Sabzwari as party hijackers.  

Now, how valid is London's objection on Farooq Sattar and his team?

Apparently, Nusrat and others believe that in the post August 22 situation MQM founder Altaf Hussain had accepted Farooq Sattar's position to disassociate MQM Pakistan from him after his anti-Pakistan speech or slogans. But when two resolutions were moved by the party against Altaf Hussain and in Sindh Assembly their leaders also termed him as 'traitor' with a demand of trial under Article VI, it become impossible for them to accept it.

This position of MQM London, has some weight in its own perspective as they believe that if the resolution had included condemnation of some other leaders who too from time to time had made anti-Pakistan, remarks it would have created some kind of balance.

Differences within the party came on surface after the 2013 elections, which later resulted in revolt within the party and formation of PSP, led by Mustafa Kamal and Anis Qaimkhani. The group also include some past stalwarts of the party like Raza Haroon.

I also have information that within MQM Pakistan, the resolution of the Sindh Assembly become a matter of serious differences before it was decided to go ahead with it. However, what they did not realize that even the demand of trial under Article VI, was un-constitutional, as the article only relates to the abrogation of the Constitution.

MQM Pakistan leaders also committed mistake by making too many speeches on the resolution which created further discomforts within their own rank and file.

However what MQM London fails to understand that it was London, which has put its leaders in Pakistan in a difficult position not once but constantly since 2013 election, which first led to formation of PSP and after August 22 led to another split.

Even former Governor of Sindh Dr Ishrat ul Ebad was part of MQM, during all this period and he too faced difficulties in repairing the damage more than once, often caused due to Altaf Hussain's speeches which in the end led to the ban on his address.

MQM London has not got level playing field and what happened after the arrest of its new Rabita Committee leaders like Dr Zafar Arif, Kanwar Khalid Yunus, Amjadullah, Saati Ishaq and others was a clear message that Altaf Hussain will not get any relief even if the change of command in the army came after November 29.

The allegations on MQM Pakistan leaders for living lavish lifestyle, while the party leaders and workers are in jail is also not totally untrue. This is one area which the united MQM need to share the burden when their leaders and Ministers, been accused of minting money in the name of the party.

The question is why the party failed in addressing this issue. Majority of the MQM leaders who have addressed the Press Conference had not visited Pakistan, for the past several years even in good as well as in bad days.

Although MQM Pakistan so far has maintained its grip on the party's legislatures and local bodies, it alone is not a guarantee for its success in the next elections.

Any patch up particularly between MQM Pakistan and MQM London looks difficult as accepting Altaf Hussain, unless he is cleared by the establishment would push Dr Sattar and others in a no win situation.

Either due to fear or because of ground realities the fact remains that MQM London has not been able to create any major crack in Sattar's camp as yet. London's strength could be 'Muhajir voters' but, in the absence of any organisational work and unofficial ban, it would be very difficult for them to go in the next elections.

Though there is still time before the next elections but efforts to unite MQM factions under former President Pervez Musharraf has failed. He was first approached by some veteran MQM supporters to play his role followed by one of MQM founders Saleem Shahzad who asked him to use his good offices in bringing MQM and PSP on one platform, but after three hours meeting with Khwaja Izhar ul Hasan, he has withdrawn from making any further attempt to unite them.

In 2001, MQM's boycott of the local bodies elections allowed Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) to get its Mayor elected and in 2002. It also lost seven NA seats.

If London, really wants to play any decisive role its leadership will have to come to Pakistan, if not, Altaf Hussain, at least others like Nadeem Nusrat and Mustafa Azizabadi.

In politics leaders have to lead from the front to give motivation to the workers and supporters. Can they take that risk and if they do, they will get the answer whether MQM was hijacked or rescued."