KARACHI: Maintaining his tone against the rift-hit Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) but without naming it, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday predicted its disintegration before the next general elections in the country.

The fresh remarks came in a statement issued from Bilawal House here on Monday on the 14th death anniversary of MPA Abdullah Murad. “He [Murad] was killed for raising his voice against the elements who held the city [Karachi] hostage at gunpoint,” the statement quoted Mr Bhutto-Zardari as saying.

The PPP chairman paid homage to the slain lawmaker, the statement said. It also quoted him as saying that this anniversary was being observed amid disintegration of those who conspired and killed the courageous elected representative of Karachi 14 years ago.

Only a day earlier, Mr Bhutto-Zardari had remarked that the time of MQM-P was over. He was commenting on the party’s poor performance in the March 3 Senate election as MQM-P lawmakers defied the leadership while casting their votes.

In his post-election press conference, the PPP chairman said he had advised the MQM-P to concentrate on resolving its internal issues instead of pointing fingers at others.

Going strong and consistent against what was until recently the largest single party in the urban areas of Sindh, the PPP chairman’s tone is setting the trend of his party’s election campaign in cities, mainly Karachi and Hyderabad where it would most probably face MQM-P.

The statement also quoted him as saying that Abdullah Murad had challenged acts of terrorism in Karachi and himself fell victim to a revengeful targeted attack, he said.

“The PPP leadership and workers will never forget the struggle and valour of Shaheed Abdullah Murad and he will continue to inspire PPP workers in Karachi and elsewhere,” said Bhutto-Zardari.

MPA Abdullah Murad Baloch was shot dead along with his driver, Hanif Baloch, by assailants riding a motorcycle near his house in the Al Falah Society area of Malir on March 6, 2004.

SUKKUR: Sindh Minister for Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, addressing a news conference at the Sukkur Press Club on Monday, criticised MQM-P (PIB group) leader Dr Farooq Sattar for accusing PPP of having indulged in horse-trading during the Senate election.

He said Dr Sattar should instead look into his party’s internal rifts. “If he wants to save his party [from further disintegration], Dr Sattar should quit it,” the minister advised. He also asked what great sacrifices Kamran Tessori had made that pleased Dr Sattar so much that he awarded him a party ticket in the Senate election. He observed that by doing so, Dr Sattar bargained over the sacrifices rendered by many other die-hard MQM workers in the past.

Mr Shah said Dr Sattar must have accepted something “bigger” from Tessori against the party ticket, recalling that the latter was first made the deputy convener of the party’s coordination committee.

Turning to other PPP opponents, the minister said his party was against all such moves which could lead to dumping of politicians by disallowing them to take part in political process.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2018