KARACHI: Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh on Tuesday accused the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) of “selling out” the mandate of Karachiites against two ministries and warned the past coalition partner that the fresh decision would further shrink its political space in the metropolis.

Speaking at a press conference at his office, he said that after the 2018 general elections, the MQM-P, which had made mistakes in the past, had managed to reclaim its political space to some extent as the people of Karachi ignored their “crimes and negligence”.

However, he said, the party had again chosen the path leading to its total collapse. “The people of Karachi need answer that for what price you [MQM-P] have sold out their mandate to the corrupt and the political elite that has been proven guilty,” he said.

“Just for two federal ministries...you are digging your own political grave. You don’t have any idea how much you have hurt the sentiments of a common Karachiite,” he said, adding: “The people of the city are cursing you. We are very well aware that after grabbing the share in the federal government, you are all set to become coalition partner in Sindh with the Pakistan Peoples Party.”

He observed that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf was reborn amid the recent political crisis and the party workers had made a pledge to struggle for peace, prosperity and sovereignty of Pakistan under the courageous and capable leadership of its chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan, who wanted to realise the dreams of the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal.

“Imran Khan has declared that Pakistanis are self esteemed and sovereign nation and we will take all decisions while keeping our national interests supreme and without falling to fulfilling the wishes of foreign powers,” he said.

“The entire nation supports the principled approach of Imran Khan. Traitors of Pakistan leading different political parties are exposed before the nation who always relied on foreign support and financial assistance from abroad,” he said.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2022