LAHORE: The Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) sees a lot of gain in the wake of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain’s anti-Pakistan tirade, saying only a handful people will remain at his side at the end of the day.

The PSP hopes that it will be the only party in the coming days to represent Muhajirs as it believes that every patriot is distancing himself or herself from Altaf.

“There are no chances of division of the MQM into three or four factions. There will be only two parties, PSP and Altaf-led MQM, (representing Muhajirs) in Karachi and other parts of Sindh. Farooq Sattar-led MQM is in fact Altaf Hussain’s MQM which will eventually fade away as patriotic people of Pakistan, especially Urdu speaking section, are not ready to tolerate him (Hussain) for his anti-state activities anymore,” PSP leader Raza Haroon told Dawn on Sunday by telephone.

Mr Haroon said a similar situation had arisen in 1992 when Altaf had separated himself from the MQM and its reins were given to Azeem Tariq.

“Farooq Sattar (who was Karachi mayor then) and some four other stalwarts were also looking after the affairs of the MQM in the absence of Hussain. They had apologised to Hussain after he took back the party’s control. Tariq Azeem who did not apologise from the Bhai was later killed,” he said, predicting that Altaf would soon repeat the same episode but this time he would not find many supporters around him.

“Tomorrow’s Karachi will not be of Altaf Hussain as it belongs to the youth who hate him.

“There is and will be only one MQM and that is of Altaf Hussain. Farooq Sattar has neither capacity to head his own faction of the MQM nor is he thinking to carve it out. He is totally committed to Altaf Hussain, believing that once ‘this hard time’ is over, the MQM will be strongly placed again. But let me tell Altaf and his cronies that this time there will be no comeback for his MQM,” he said.

Haroon added that Sattar had announced ‘disconnect’ with Hussain but practically speaking Altaf could not be separated from the MQM. He suggested if Farooq Sattar really meant what he was saying, he and other MQM legislators and local bodies elected people should better resign as they had the mandate of Altaf.

He termed the PSP’s organisational structure very strong, saying it would replace the MQM in Karachi and Sindh.

“Apart from a handful people who are blindly supporting Altaf, patriotic elements in the MQM want to join the PSP and they will be with us soon,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2016