LAHORE: The Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) has managed to get the MQM Punjab chapter on board, depriving the Altaf Hussain’s party of even a ‘little’ representation in the province.

During its maiden visit to Lahore, PSP leader Raza Haroon met with the MQM office-bearers including Punjab chapter organiser Iftikhar Randhawa and in-charge MQM Lawyers Forum Lahore Zone Mubeenuddin Qazi who joined the PSP.

Exploring its way to make its ‘presence felt’ in Punjab, Raza Haroon along with other PSP provincial leaders are meeting with different politicians seeking their help to get a foothold. Before joining hands with Mustafa Kamal (former Karachi mayor), Raza Haroon was said to be the man who had launched the MQM in Punjab.

MQM Punjab is now PSP

The PSP also opened its office at Bhatta Chowk near DHA and directed the workers to start meeting the people at union council level and present its programme to them. The PSP is also planning to hold a public meeting in Lahore but before that it wants to make proper inroads here.

As part of meeting with different ‘like-minded’ politicians Raza Haroon along with other PSP Punjab leaders called on former PPP minister Khalid Kharal and offered him to join the party.

Mr Kharal welcomed the PSP in Punjab saying he was ready to provide “political guidance” to it in the province. Former MNA Pervaiz Saleh was also present in the meeting.

The PSP delegation also met with some senior journalists at the residence of news analyst Fawad Chaudhry and talked about its future course of action. However, Sindh especially Karachi and Hyderabad appear to be the PSP’s prime focus.

Raza Haroon said the process to organise the party in Karachi along with other parts of the province was under way.

“We are getting good response in Punjab and the PSP will be organised on the basis of union councils and not on unit or sector basis as it was the style of MQM,” he said.

During his stay in Lahore, Raza Haroon may also call on PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

Fawad Chaudhry told Dawn that the PSP was eager to cash in on the “demise” of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in Karachi.

“Like MQM in Punjab, the PSP may not be working hard here. Its main focus will be Karachi and Hyderabad as a number of MQM men there have held out commitment to Mustafa Kamal to join his party. Here in Punjab the PSP at least needs support from Chaudhrys of Gujrat,” he said.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2016