KARACHI: With everyone waiting for the decision of a key coalition partner of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led federal government on the no-confidence resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan in the National Assembly, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Friday said that the party was going into a “decisive phase” of its struggle.

Speaking to a workers’ convention held to mark the party’s 38th foundation day, MQM-P convenor Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi said the heirs of those who struggled for creation of Pakistan were still struggling for their identity in this country.

He said it was high time that the people of urban parts of the province stayed united to achieve the long-awaited results of their struggle.

“Just a month ago when we took out a peaceful rally for our due rights, the PPP [Pakistan Peoples Party] government resorted to torture and not even spared women and children. Now this is the same [PPP] party which has not only started listening to us but also assuring our due rights. We were peaceful yesterday and we are peaceful today,” he said.

“Our demands were the same yesterday and they are the same today. We are true representatives of democracy so we welcome any positive gesture for healthy politics and rights of people,” he said, in a thinly veiled reference to the ongoing talks between his party and the PPP over the no-trust resolution against the prime minister.

He assured the workers that the MQM-P amid the country’s rapidly changing political situation had not backed out even an inch from its principled stance.

He said the party had made clear to all political forces across the country that people of urban Sindh could not be deceived this time.

Similar events were also held across the province to celebrate the 38th foundation day of the party.

Altaf Hussain-led MQM, commonly known as MQM-London, would organise the party’s foundation day events in the United Kingdom and other countries on Sunday (tomorrow).

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2022