HYDERABAD: Muttahida Qau­mi Movement-Pakistan leader Dr Farooq Sattar has said that waderas and jagirdars have occupied MQM and the “puppet” coordination com­mittee is working at the behest of dictators.

He said at a banquet here on Wednesday that MQM was not a fief of a few usurpers. He was not going to launch a new party as the MQM belonged to workers. The purpose of his visit to Hyderabad was to save the organisation since thousands of party workers like him had pledged to save the party and restore it to its 1986 position, he said.

He said the “sham” coordination committee that got less number of votes had sacked its leader who had secured maximum number of votes. The party did not convene any meeting to determine causes that led to its defeat in election, he said.

He said that he had “saved” MQM on Aug 23 for which he was rewarded with a show-cause notice. The party had been destroyed and efforts were on to destroy it even further. Millions of party workers and he would no longer remain silent and take on opponents as well as those within the party simultaneously in a democratic and political manner, he said.

Clarifies he is not launching new party

Dr Sattar said that party tickets were doled out like sweets before general polls and friends were preferred in general and by-­elec­tions over competent candi­dates in stark violation of princi­ples and party discipline.

He said that if one cared to restore confidence of party wor­kers then deputy convener Kan­war Naveed and senior convener Aamir Khan would have to present themselves before workers for accountability. They should tell everyone where they used to live in 1986 and where they were residing now, he said.

He said that they should disclose their assets and Aamir Khan should clarify why he visited Dubai. Aamir Khan should exp­lain where he was on Aug 23, when he (Dr Sattar) was called by direc­tor general of Rangers, he said.

He invited Aamir Khan and Kanwar Naveed to hold a public meeting jointly and said Hyderabad district nazim who was given billions of rupees during Musharraf regime should explain where the huge amount of money had been spent.

He said that intra-party election and accountability were a pre­requisite for saving the party. If accountability was not carried out, then even the four seats the party had now would reduce to one, he warned.

He would put an end to corruption and loot within the party. After anti-Pakistan slogans were raised he first visited the press club and did not go to DG Rangers though he was called, he said.

Dr Sattar said that Pakistan was facing an economic crisis and the country was to repay the loan being offered by China and Saudi Arabia. The volume of debt would increase by the time the PTI government had completed its term, he said.

He claimed that the PTI govern­ment had obtained $12 billion loan in last 75 days. Karachi needed Rs150bn and Hyderabad Rs25bn given their contribution to reve­nue generation, he said.

He said that movement for 20 administrative units should be launched.

The party workers should be restored to their Feb 5 positions and the workers who had joined Pak Sarzameen Party and PTI should return to MQM’s fold, he said.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2018