KARACHI: Dr Farooq Sattar, a senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), on Thursday said he had conveyed to the party’s Bahadurabad group that he did not want to contest in the July 25 election but wanted to lead the [party’s] election campaign.

“I have conveyed my desire of not contesting election this time around and requested the party leadership to allow me to get my nomination papers withdrawn,” said the veteran politician, who was the youngest mayor of Karachi and has won in all seven general elections since 1988, while addressing a press conference at his party office.

He said he had expressed his full support to the party’s Bahadurabad group and would agree to whatever was decided by the party’s Rabita Committee and its convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.

Requests workers, supporters to extend complete support to Rabita Committee in Bahadurabad

“I have asked the party leadership to give me a break for the sake of the party. I don’t want to contest elections this time. However, I will go to the parliament in next elections if need arises. I have beseeched them to allow me a vacation this time.”

The MQM-P’s two factions — Bahadurabad and PIB — have till recently been at loggerheads over the control of the party. However, on June 11, the Islamabad High Court in its verdict declared Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui as convener of the MQM-P.

Dr Sattar had earlier approached the IHC against the election commission’s decision of removing him as party convener in March.

Maintaining his composure throughout the press talk, the MQM leader said in a reconciliatory tone that he had met with the party’s leadership in Bahadurabad twice in two days and took radical decisions to unite the two factions.

“There are no sides of the party,” said Dr Sattar, “they seemed to be apart, but they are ... we are all one. And, I should admit here that they had separated because of us; it was not their fault; none of those who sided with me or them should be blamed for what happened (between the two factions) earlier.”

He said leaders of the two sides were making all efforts and “with the blessing of Allah we’ll succeed to keep our unity intact”.

“We request the workers and supporters of both sides to shun differences with each other. The fault was on our part and not on our workers and supporters who sided with us. I request them to be united because it is key for impressive showing in the elections, which are getting closer with lists of candidates being finalised,” said Dr Sattar.

He asked his workers to extend complete support to the Rabita Committee in Bahadurabad and play their part to ensure that the party was united.

Dr Sattar said the leaders of the two sides had formed a six-member committee — three each from either side — which would be resolving intra-party disputes and conflicts on daily basis to ensure that “rivals should not succeed in their conspiracy to seed discord in the party again”.

He said he had visited the Bahadurabad centre “unconditionally” twice in two days during which he had handed his list of candidates for the next elections to Mr Siddiqui.

However, he said when he felt difficulty in the adjustment then he decided to ask the leaders in Bahadurabad that he did not want quota in distribution of party tickets.

“I left it at the disposal of Khalid Maqbool Bhai and the Rabita Committee to award tickets to anyone they wanted to, I would have no objection to that.”

He said during the meeting he was also consulted on awarding of the party tickets.

“I told them that all candidates are mine and all candidates are theirs. They should do it on their own and award tickets to those they deem [fit].”

He said the 2018 general elections was “our azmaish (test)” and during conflict in the party the MQM’s vote bank, supporters and workers had been pressuring the two sides of the leadership to forge unity.

“They pressured us to forge unity. It is our duty to make sure that our party remains one, kite is our election symbol and we can guarantee bright future to the people of the urban parts of Sindh. This was the reason I went to Bahadurabad unconditionally and I am grateful to them who received me warmly.”

He said the unity of the MQM-P would be a bad omen for the party’s foes who had been celebrating its split and internal conflict. Now, he added, their hopes had been dashed.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2018