KARACHI: In what appeared to be an attempt to end hostilities, Mohajir Qaumi Movement chairman Afaq Ahmed extended an olive branch to the rival Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Monday when he said he was ready to visit the Nine Zero headquarters of the Altaf Hussain-led party to hold talks for resolving all issues “harming the Mohajirs of both sides”.

“I have no relation with the MQM and Altaf Hussain, but I am inviting the [MQM] coordination committee to either come to my home or invite me to Nine Zero. I am ready to come to Nine Zero but the talks would focus only on the issues of Mohajirs,” Mr Ahmed told a press conference at his DHA residence.

He said he did not want a confrontation and made this offer only to avoid a clash, as “we should no longer drag the Mohajir nation in our confrontation”.

He said it was not easy for him to talk about visiting the MQM headquarters.

Mr Ahmed, whose party is better known as MQM-Haqiqi, said that he always tried to avoid a clash with the MQM. “I had personally written letters to Altaf Hussain in the past but did not get a positive reply [from him]”.

“Leave aside my ideology and principled stand, whatever is happening is not right,” he said.

He said that the Mohajir youth was being victimised and implicated in false cases. “The MQM allegations that we are forcing its workers to join us are wrong. We want in writing from every worker who wants to join us that he has no relation with the MQM.”

In a veiled criticism on the Mustafa Kamal-led Pak Sarzameen Party that claimed to take wickets every time an MQM man joined them, Mr Ahmed said he did not want to take any wicket and all he wanted was a peaceful struggle for the rights of Mohajirs. “An entire nation should not be defamed in the name of RAW.”

He said the people’s mandate given to the MQM in the local government election should be accepted and the elected LG representatives be given powers to work for the betterment of the people of Karachi.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2016