KARACHI: A day after seasoned politician Dr Farooq Sattar announced his plan to bring all splinter groups to one platform, his rivals in the Bahadurabad group of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan on Tuesday warned him that “criminal or civil” action would be taken against him if he did not stop using the MQM-P name, its flag and election symbol.

A letter issued in this regard by convener of the MQM-P’s coordination committee Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui identified Dr Sattar as the head of the Organisation Restoration Committee — a body he formed in October last to “reorganise the party on ideological lines as it was in 1986”.

While the MQM-P expelled its former convener in November 2018, its letter stated that Dr Sattar’s basic membership was terminated by the coordination committee on Sept 13, 2018.

It stated that despite expulsion he had been employing MQM-P’s name, its flag and symbol “for own self-use, which is unauthorised, mala fide and unlawful, amounting to piracy and misuse”.

“You are hereby warned not to repeat your mala fide act as aforesaid, as in none of your media or other appearances you should be seen to hoist the MQM Pakistan party flag and its symbol ie kite in your vicinity,” the letter said, adding: “None of your banners may also be used or reflect the MQM Pakistan party name or its abbreviation, or exhibit the party flag or its symbol, in any manner whatsoever.”

The letter warned Dr Sattar that if he did not desist “we shall be left with no other option but to report you to the authorities and/or take suitable legal action (criminal or civil) against you”.

On Monday, Dr Sattar announced his intentions of setting up the Muttahida Qaumi Council (MQC) and said that he would contact Pak Sarzameen Party leaders Mustafa Kamal, Anis Kaimkhani, Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi chairman Afaq Ahmed and others in an attempt to unite all those who were previously part of the MQM.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2019