KARACHI: Another Muttahida Qaumi Movement old-timer swelled on Monday the ranks of the dissidents led by former Karachi nazim Mustafa Kamal, though they toned down their tirade against Altaf Hussain, apparently after a show of strength by the MQM on its 32nd Foundation Day despite a rebellion.

A former MNA from Mirpurkhas, Anis Ahmed Khan, aka Anis Advocate, announced throwing in his lot with the dissidents at a press conference at the DHA headquarters of the still unnamed party of Mustafa Kamal.

At one point Anis Advocate acknowledged the objective, manifesto and struggle of Mr Hussain against what he called injustice. But he hastened to add, without naming the MQM chief, that he had deviated from this path. “You have betrayed our trust.”

Anis Advocate, who has been living in London and the UAE for about 18 years, returned to Karachi two days ago. His association with the MQM spanned over three decades.

He was elected to the National Assembly in 1990. He became a close aide of Mr Hussain and remained a member of the London-based MQM coordination committee until Dec 2012, when he was removed ‘for violating party discipline’.

In May 2013, the party relieved Anis Advocate of all organisational responsibilities and directed all workers and office-bearers not to contact him. In the local government elections last year, he backed certain candidates in Mirpurkhas against the MQM, but all of them lost.

Accompanied by Mr Kamal, Anis Kaimkhani and other dissidents, Anis Advocate told reporters that he had mentally joined the caravan of Mr Kamal and Mr Kaimkhani three years ago when he quit the MQM.

Unlike the other dissidents, he chose not to hurl allegations of ‘excessive drinking’ and working for Indian intelligence agency RAW against Mr Hussain, but said that because of him “our ties with both the country and army” had become suspicious. Without naming any individual, he said the MQM chief was surrounded by sycophants in London.

“You taught us to always speak the truth, but you never face the truth,” he said, maintaining that he did not want to dishonour the relationship he had with the MQM chief for 30-32 years.

“Today, I am asking you to get [medical] treatment ... you are not in a situation to lead the Muhajir community ... you don’t have this right anymore,” he said, acknowledging that the initial aims and objectives and struggle of Mr Hussain were right.

Asked if he had any evidence about Mr Hussain’s links with RAW, Anis Advocate said there were “reports and also some evidence”, but it was the responsibility of the state to investigate and unveil the truth before the nation.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2016