KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan rejected on Tuesday a so-called ‘Free Karachi’ campaign being run in the United States and vowed to initiate a counter drive abroad.

“We will not allow Nadeem Nusrat to conspire against Pakistan or Karachi,” said MQM-P chief Dr Farooq Sattar while referring to the US-based former convener of the once-unified MQM, who is also the main spokesman for the ‘Free Karachi campaign’.

The group behind the Free Karachi campaign had launched the drive on Jan 15 in the US capital, when America observes Martin Luther King Jr Day, to link it with the human rights champion.

The ‘FreeKarachi’ signs appeared on some Washington cabs and last week The Washington Times distributed a wrap with its regular edition that called for ending disappearances of political activists, alleged abuses of human rights in Pakistan and also demanded justice for Prof Dr Hasan Zafar Arif, identifying him as an MQM leader.

However, Mr Nusrat had told newsmen in New York that they were not demanding Karachi’s separation from the Pakistani state, as the campaign was against “atrocities and abuses”. He claimed that if the rulers stopped terrorising people, “all groups, including Muhajirs and the Baloch, can be reunited with the mainstream”.

Although the Altaf Hussain-led MQM-London has so far shied away from supporting the Free Karachi campaign, the MQM-P is apparently compelled to take a clear stand since a former party convener was involved in the drive.

Speaking at a press conference at the MQM-P’s temporary headquarters in Bahadurabad, Dr Sattar said that some people in his party would never allow a handful people to mislead the people of Karachi and Pakistan while sitting in their homes abroad.

He said those running the Free Karachi campaign were taking advantage of US President Donald Trump’s negative views about Pakistan, but they would never succeed.

He conceded that because of poor governance and inefficiency of the government the sense of alienation had been increasing in Karachi, but it did not mean that someone start plotting against the state of Pakistan and talk about separation.

“I want to put it on record that the MQM Pakistan will foil all such conspiracies. We will, through a peaceful struggle and while remaining in national mainstream, get our rights,” he said.

Accompanied by other party leaders, Dr Sattar said his party would continue to implement its non-violent and non-confrontational politics. “We are reopening our offices as part of a process to return to national mainstream...so no one could try to use us for their nefarious designs.”

He said the MQM-P would be in forefront in fight against those sowing the seeds of hatred by talking about a free Karachi. “Our chapters will run a more powerful counter campaign abroad against the Free Karachi drive.”

MQM leaders Kanwar Naveed, Aminul Haq, Faisal Subzwari, Khwaja Izharul Hasan and others were also present.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2018