No vacancy for new leadership in MQM-Pakistan, says Farooq Sattar

KARACHI: MQM-Pakistan chief Farooq Sattar categorically denied any alliance or merger of his party with former President General (r) Pervaiz Musharraf.

Speaking to Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kai Sath, Sattar while responding on the reports of secret meetings between the representatives of MQM-Pakistan and former President General (r) Pervaiz Musharraf in Dubai and the emergence of suspicious banners calling for their alliance, said: “there is no any vacancy for a leader in MQM. We don’t need to advertise or go for backdoor negotiations for it. Reports of my meeting with General Musharraf are nothing but lies.”

Taking a subtle jibe, Sattar added: “We have never left the country, if we ever have gone abroad, we came back the very next day. We have never left the country for two to three years.”

He further said: “We are tested and trusted due to our manifesto, political ideology and our past”.

Earlier, senior politician Ahmed Raza Kasuri suggested that if Musharraf becomes MQM-Pakistan’s leader, the party would dilute the allegations of links to Indian spy agency RAW or being pro-India, and if the party continues its existing policies there remains a possibility of ‘minus-twenty’.

“We have been doing Muhajir politics from last 35 years, we are on ground, we know the streets and alleys of New Karachi,” he said, “such packaging can happen in the drawing rooms but it cannot actualise on the streets and alleys of Liaquatabad, Shah Faisal, Landhi, Ranchore Line, Kharadar, Lines Area and other areas.”

“We had a great working relationship with Musharraf but this doesn’t mean that any of his spokesperson suggests un-constitutional measures, if anyone wants to join us, he can be the member of our party,” he said.

Mysterious banners supporting an alliance between former president Pervez Musharraf and MQM-Pakistan Chief Farooq Sattar appeared on Monday in Karachi, days after plus-one formula — addition of Musharraf to MQM-Pakistan — came to surface.

The banners put up by unknown people were visible outside Karachi Press Club under the ‘Muttahida Qaumi Jirga Pakistan’.

The banners depict Musharraf and Sattar together, displaying slogan ‘MQM-Pakistan and Musharraf are brothers’. The banners also stated ‘Jaag Muhajir Jaag’.