Geo News programme, Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Kay Sath, revealed on Friday an insight into the tumultuous saga between Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party.
Sources informed Geo News that following the announcement of forming an alliance, MQM leader Amir Khan sent ‘rest in peace’ messages to party workers and told them that the decision to ally with PSP was unacceptable.
Moreover, many workers were asked to agitate against the alliance and oppose it, sources added. Even though party leaders, including Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, Faisal Sabzwari and Wasim Akhtar were taken into confidence before the alliance, the burden of the alliance was put on Sattar alone.
Sources also stated that Sattar wrote a lengthy letter to the prime minister, chief of army staff, DG ISPR and DG MI in which he mentioned that he was forcefully held at a location for 16 hours. Sattar was told to form an alliance with PSP and he would not be allowed to go till they reach a consensus.
MQM-P Chief Farooq Sattar, who stayed in the limelight on Thursday due to his brief resignation, was asked some of the questions pertaining to the meeting.
However, Sattar deflected from answering most questions, raising intrigue regarding the issue. “This is such a chapter that I will speak about it when it will become necessary.”
When asked if the meeting took place at a neutral location, Sattar said when two parties are meeting, it is important to keep it at a neutral site. It was just a start of a conversation between MQM-P and PSP. However, when I met Anees Qaimkhani before the November 5 rally and I ruled out the possibility of a merger. I said it should be an alliance.
He was then asked if he was called to the meeting by Mustafa Kamal or someone else, the MQM-P chief said there can be no yes or no answers to such questions and he will reveal the answers once it becomes necessary.
Sattar was then probed on the agenda of the meeting, to which he replied there is not any simple answer to such questions. He added that there was Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, Faisal Sabzwari and Wasim Akhtar present apart from him.
The MQM-P chief also said he could not answer the question regarding if he was told he could not leave the meeting till there was an agreement in the meeting.
Sattar, when probed on his phone, said his WhatsApp phone was in his car and as a general practice they keep their phones away during important meetings. “Prevention is better than cure.”
When asked if it was decided that the MQM’s name will be done away with, Sattar said he needs to point out that there were not a lot of meetings between PSP and MQM-P. “We only met once or twice in the six months,” and added that moreover, PSP has always said that they want MQM’s name to cease to exist.
He was also asked regarding the presence of a third political part during the meeting, to which the MQM chief said he will not answer the question. Sattar added that no answer can be as simple as a yes or a no and the walls are “very limited”when asked if a merger was demanded.
Sattar also deflected, during the interview, the question related to the presence of PTI member and said regarding the presence of a public servant, he will answer when he has clarity himself.
“I have written some serious content in my letter, for the peace and stability of Karachi. We have to think how to solve the situation at hand and learn to respect each other’s opinions. We have to move forward and accept the reality. I also have wishes, but wishes don’t always come true. We should all move forward,” said Sattar when probed further on the letter.
“I had mentioned all my grievances in my press conference. But they say ‘all is well that end’s well’. I went through trauma for two to three days. I was called countless times. But the opportunity I created for PSP, they wasted it. PSP went forward with their own agenda, compromising my credibility,” added the MQM-P chief.
Sattar said no one knows what will happen in the future. “We didn’t make any promises. All alliances are inorganic and I was concerned about certain things such as division of Karachi’s vote bank, violence in Sindh, land mafia and security of Karachi. Kamal did not endorse this. We will have to see his press conference. I haven’t closed the door we opened.”
The leader also said that Ahsan Iqbal and Saad Rafique have contacted him and assured him that the federal government would do its best to resolve MQM’s concerns.
[pullquote]Farooq retracts resignation from MQM-P
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Early Thursday morning, Farooq Sattar retracted his resignation about an hour after quitting the party and politics.
Sattar had announced to quit the party and politics after a press conference on Thursday. Sattar remarked that he was disappointed in the response he got from his party members following the decision to make a political alliance with Pak Sarzameen Party.
Reasoning his resignation Sattar had said: “I was saddened and hurt by the response I got [after the press conference]” he said. “I was disappointed with the response I got from PSP leaders and my own workers.”
MQM-Pakistan chief also came down hard on PSP Founder Mustafa Kamal and spoke against the way Kamal behaved during their joint press conference on Wednesday.
“Your [Kamal] purpose was to highlight the point of the alliance but you went on speaking against MQM. You said that you can’t hold talks with MQM. Then, I want to ask you, who else have you been talking to then?”
“In the press conference, PSP leaders only spoke against MQM,” he remarked, adding “I was the only one speaking about pursuing non-violent politics and ensuring the security of the country.”
Following the announcement of the resignation, Sattar went inside his house which was surrounded by party members. The members tried to pacify Sattar and convince him to take his decision back.
However, Sattar returned along with his mother and addressed a second press conference. He said that he is taking back the decision to fulfill his mother’s wishes.
“My mother ordered me to continue serving the country and its people. To fulfill her wishes, I take my decision back.”
