HYDERABAD: The resignation by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui from the federal cabinet is reflective of the party’s growing sense of disenchantment with its coalition partner Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) in view of fast-approaching local bodies’ polls as the MQM-P has major electoral stakes in Karachi and Hyderabad’s elected municipal bodies.

The MQM leadership believes that the PTI neither has ‘intent’ nor ‘capacity’ to honour its commitment with one of its major coalition partners in the federal government.

The party felt the prime minister and his team were not serious in addressing its concerns and that was why no progress was yet seen over what has been agreed upon between the two allies. So, the party is ‘keeping its options open’ and making it clear to the PTI that “future ties with the ruling coalition largely depend on implementation of 13 points agreed upon earlier”.

Of the party’s six directly-elected seats, two are from Hyderabad — Sindh’s second largest city — and establishment of Hyderabad University is one of the party’s fundamental demands. Interestingly, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, a man with a Hyderabad domicile, is head of today’s MQM-P. And the university’s establishment in Hyderabad appears to be a major sticking point for the MQM.

It looks as if the party, confides an insider, is not too excited about the PTI’s proposal — as was officially disclosed by the Sindh governor earlier here in Hyderabad — of adopting Malik Riaz’s private sector university as a federal institution. “What prevents the PTI from acquiring land of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for establishing a university in Kohsar area of Latifabad and then merging construction tycoon’s university into it if the PTI is indeed committed to setting up of a university”, he says.

Party feels PTI has not delivered on promises for Karachi, Hyderabad

CAA’s land is to be purchased from the Sindh government after payment of land’s cost which was not done yet. Land, however, remains with the CAA. The party leadership has been briefed that a federal university — as per original proposal — could not be given effect due to “some legal hitches post-18th Amendment politics”.

Upcoming local bodies’ elections worry the party. “I feel the PTI clearly has neither the ‘intent’ nor ‘capacity’ to give effect to [what] it has agreed upon so far”, says a Muttahida insider.

Post-Altaf Hussain era’s MQM is for the first time taking its decision in Karachi amidst reports that some other ‘powerful quarters’ might be giving their input as well, but credible party sources claim that “those who always matter are themselves perturbed over what is happening and they want things resolved”.

Prime minister’s commitment about nine and then four points with the party remain on paper as far as Rs25 billion package for Karachi and Rs5bn for Hyderabad are concerned. In one of last year’s meetings reportedly attended by President Dr Arif Alvi, it was decided that those packages would be given effect and then another meeting with Pervez Khattak and federal government functionaries like Naveed Kamran Baloch was also held.

“It was decided that Rs1bn will be released forthwith for Karachi and Rs50m for Hyderabad, but to no avail”, adds a party source. He claims that “mistrust [with the PTI] is growing and that has been communicated to them time and again, but these guys perhaps don’t take things seriously”.

“The PM told Khalid bhai that ‘aap meri zaban per yaqeen karen’ [trust my word] and even this promise is yet to be fulfilled as far as allocation of committed packages in budget 2019-20 was concerned,” he added.

Key demands

The MQM-P has been awaiting a positive response on census figures in Karachi and Hyderabad, recovery of missing persons, reopening of offices sealed post-Aug 22, 2016 political landscape in Karachi and Hyderabad.

“We understand for offices to be reopened a ‘nod from somewhere else’ is needed, but the federal interior minister should at least sit with right quarters and press this point”, complains one leader.

Party leaders realise that LG polls are a challenge, but “delay in solution of problem of people is a rather bigger challenge for them, therefore, says a leader, serving as an ally and getting nothing for constituents is illogical. People do pose such questions and that’s why party is more concerned about these issues than anything else”, he quips.

Resignation of Dr Siddiqui as federal minister and Senator Dr Farogh Naseem’s growing relationship with the ruling PTI indicates that he is more comfortable with the PTI than the MQM-P where leaders have started to feel that “he is more closer to country’s establishment now rather than the MQM or PTI”.

“When did he represent the MQM-P? He perhaps did it in court”, states another insider.

MQM’s official position on Naseem is also now well known. “Dr Farogh was not on MQM’s quota of ministry in the federal cabinet”, Dr Siddiqui told media in Karachi on Monday. A party source subscribes to the view by putting it this way that Naseem-MQM bond is somewhat like a marriage of ‘inconvenience’.

With the emergence of the Pak Sarzameen Party in March 2016, the Kamran Tessori saga, then Dr Farooq Sattar episode and now strained relations with the ruling PTI, the going continues to get tough for the MQM. The party would now be bracing for the upcoming local bodies polls if four-year term of elected municipal bodies is anything to go by.

“If demands are not implemented by the PTI then what options we have to examine is for everyone to see”, comments an important party figure.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2020