KARACHI: The defection of Karachi’s Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan is being considered a big win for the Mustafa Kamal-led Pak Sarzameen Party, which is now weighing its options to take on its nemesis at the local government level, it emerged on Monday.

And to avoid any further embarrassment, the beleaguered MQM-P leadership sat together to discuss legal ways to replace Mr Vohra, how to demonstrate that Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar still enjoyed the confidence of the City Council and to stop other elected representatives from ditching the party.

A meeting of the City Council has been convened for Tuesday (today) in which fireworks by the opposition over Mr Vohra’s allegations that the MQM-P and its mayor failed to serve the people of Karachi are also expected.

On Sunday, the deputy mayor quit the MQM-P and joined the PSP, but shied away from making a commitment that he would also resign from the office of the deputy mayor.

Vohra was perturbed over interference by some key MPAs in KMC affairs

Since its inception the PSP managed to lure a handful of MQM lawmakers who were either facing criminal charges or were out of the country to escape arrest.

Mr Vohra is no exception.

Recently, the Federal Investigation Agency registered a money laundering case on a complaint of London-based businessman Sarfraz Merchant against MQM founder Altaf Hussain and others.

Mr Vohra was also summoned by the FIA and a couple of days ago he appeared before the investigators, who grilled him about his business, bank transactions and other matters.

Sources said he contacted the PSP leadership the very next day and informed them that he wanted to join the party. He was told to wait for the return of PSP chairman Kamal, who is currently in Dubai, but he was so worried because of the FIA probe that he asked them that he could not wait, they added.

“The money laundering case is not the only reason behind Arshad bhai’s decision to quit,” said an MQM-P leader. “He was seriously disturbed by the interference of some key MPAs and unelected members in the affairs of the KMC (Karachi Metropolitan Corporation).”

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said Mr Vohra often complained that “some people” had practically sidelined him and he was not even consulted for any of the projects recommended by the MQM-P to the federal government for its Karachi Package.

Another source said that MQM-P’s parliamentary party leader in Sindh Assembly Sardar Ahmed, Opposition Leader Khawaja Izhar and many other seniors were unhappy with the internal party situation and the tug of war between different groups seeking to control the MQM.

“Only a few people and their respective groups in the party are happy because they are enjoying power, authority and money,” alleged the source. “I am sure Arshad Vohra’s decision to quit the party is not driven by any ideological differences.”

PSP sources said that the party was so far undecided about its future course of action with regard to the resignation of Mr Vohra till the return of the PSP chairman, who will return home in the first week of November.

All attempts to contact MQM-P leaders to get an official version were in vain as they were busy in an internal party meeting till late in the night.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2017