KARACHI, Sept 6: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Friday launched its election campaign by officially introducing its multi-ethnic candidates at a workers’ convention, and by reiterating its resolve to strive for the rights of the downtrodden, forging national harmony and achieving rights of the federating units in the spirit of the 1940 resolution.

A large and vibrant slogan chanting crowd of activists and supporters had converged on Jinnah Ground in Azizabad, which was studded with the party symbol and flags, besides photographs of the party leader.

For the first time, the MQM has put up 64 candidates from all four provinces for the national and provincial assembly seats, besides reserved seats for women and minorities.

It has fielded 64 candidates for the national assembly seats from all four provinces. The bulk of them are from Sindh, where 55 candidates have been put up, and of them, 20 are from Karachi.

It has fielded seven from Punjab, and one each from the NWFP and Balochistan for the national assembly seats.

For the reserved NA seats for women, it has nominated 12, whereas for the minorities, two have been named.

For the 130 general seats of the Sindh assembly, Muttahida has fielded 113 candidates — 42 from Karachi and the rest from other parts of the province. In Punjab, the MQM’s 11 candidates were announced, whereas for Balochistan and the NWFP, three each have been fielded. For the women’s reserved seats of the provincial assembly, 32 have been put up, whereas for the minorities, eight candidates have been announced.

For the NA seats from Karachi, Ashiq Hussain Asadi is a candidate from NA-239, Keamari; Sarkaruddin advocate, NA-240 Baldia-Pak Colony; Molana Firozuddin Rahmani, Qasba Colony, NA- 241; Raoof Siddiqui from Orangi Town, NA-242; S.A. Khan advocate, New Karachi, NA-243; Haider Rizvi from North Karachi NA-244; Kunwar Khalid Yunus from North Nazimabad NA-245; Haji Azizullah Brohi from F.B.Area, NA-246; Asrarul Ibad, Liaquatabad NA-247; Cpt Sohrab Nizamani, Lyari NA-248; Dr Aamir Liaquat Hussain, Kharadar-Ranchore Line NA-249; Nasreen Jaleel from Defence-Clifton NA250; Safwanullah from Society-Mahmoodabad, NA-251; Mohammed Intizar, PIB-Jehangir Road, NA-252; Prof Saeed Siddiqi, Gulshan-i-Iqbal NA-253; Nawab Mirza advocate from Korangi NA-254; Abrarul Haq from Landhi-Korangi NA-255; Deputy Iqbal, Shah Faisal Colony, NA-256; Shamim Siddiqui from Malir NA-257 and Syed Ameer Hussain Shah from Ibrahim Hyderi, NA-258.

Candidates for the provincial assembly from Karachi are: PS-89, Nisar Panwhar; PS-90, Dr Mohd Ali Brohi; PS-91, Tasleemul Hassan Farooqi; PS-92,Abdul Sattar Ansari advocate; PS-93, Yusuf Muneer Shaikh; PS-94 Abdul Qudoos; Anwar Alam PS-95; Iqbal Qadri advocate PS-96; Mohd Hussain, PS-97; Sardar Ahmed PS-98; Qamar Mansoor PS-99; Adil Siddiqui PS-100; Bilqees Mukhtar PS-101; Imamuddin PS-102; Idrees Siddiqui PS-103; Mohd Moeen PS-104; Rana Yusufzai, PS-105; Kunwar Naveed PS-106; Shoaib Bokhari PS-107; Ahmad Baloch PS-108; Aslam Bhutto PS-109; Dr Aziz Bantwa PS-110; Syed Tayab Hashmi PS-111; Syed Shakir Ali PS-112; Akhtar Bilgirami PS-113; Afsar Sagheer PS-114; Barkat Ali PS-116; Faisal Sabzwari PS-117; Prof Dr Fahimuddin PS-118; Abbas Jafri PS-119; Dr Ali Bin Hamid PS-120; Hameeduzzafar PS-121; Qudratullah Baig PS-122; Jarrar Haider PS-123; Talib Imam PS-124; Aamir Moeen PS- 125; Nadeem Maqbool PS-126; Shahbaz Hussain PS-127; Shoaib Akhtar PS-128; Wali Mohammad Baloch PS-129; and Ashfaq Hussain Mangi from PS-130.

After announcing the names of party candidates, MQM leader Altaf Hussain addressed the gathering through telephone and issued a stern warning, saying that if the establishment wants to save Pakistan, then it will have to give complete provincial autonomy to the federating units in accordance with the 1940 resolution.

He claimed that if the elections were held in a free, fair and transparent manner, then the next government in Sindh would be formed by the MQM.

He said the establishment has two options; talk to the MQM and give complete autonomy to the provinces.

He said that today’s gathering was a rebuff to those who accused the MQM of being an ethnic entity. He also castigated the establishment for accusing Balochis as being anti-Pakistan, and called upon the rulers to stop doubting the integrity of the people of Pakistan who want their due share in resources and governance.

He emphasized what he termed as injustice to Sindh, which generated 70 per cent of revenue but was not getting enough funds. He said that the revenue generated by the rest of the country was not enough to sustain the country and the fighting machine.

Championing the cause of the downtrodden, especially that of Sindh, he was also critical of the two former prime ministers who are now living in exile, and accused them of plundering the nation’s wealth and not serving their people.