• Sticks to its stance on fresh delimitation before LG polls
• Announces Jan 9 protest against PPP, leaving PML-N in a bind
• Khalid Maqbool calls on former members to return to party fold

KARACHI: In its ninth month in office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government faces another challenge of a different kind: a key coalition partner, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), on Tuesday announced a protest against PPP, another ally in the Centre, after sensing that the Sindh’s ruling party might not delay local bodies elections in Karachi and Hyderabad until fresh delimitation and go ahead with the Jan 15 schedule.

The fresh move from the MQM-P came at its workers’ convention at the party’s temporary headquarters in Bahadurabad, where party leaders admitted a deadlock with the PPP government with “grim chances of a positive outcome”.

The MQM-P’s decision to protest on Jan 9 against its own coalition partner in the Centre has also put a question mark on the effectiveness of the “Charter of Rights” the party had signed with the PPP in March 2022 to strike a deal on almost all of its years-old demands.

The pumped-up workers at the convention gave the nod to the leaders’ call for an “independent and strong position” and supported the party’s stance on the local bodies’ elections, demanding fresh delimitation before the polls.

“This is the only way to success,” MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi said to the roar of the crowd after the party passed a resolution for a strong protest against the emerging scenario on Jan 9.

“Let’s come out of your homes. Let every Karachiite join this protest. Let everyone know where the Karachiites stand and who their true representatives are. MQM is the only representative of Mohajirs and every Karachiite. Anything that goes without its agreement is bound to fall,” he said.

In a strong message to “state powers” while reiterating its protest over “unjustified delimitation, fake voters’ list and less count of the population” in the 2017 census, the MQM-P leader reminded Islamabad that it was his party that strengthened the alliances and gave every possible space to coalition members.

Without naming any individual, institution or organisation, Dr Siddiqi also addressed the “political forces of Karachi” to join hands with the MQM-P and return “to their identity” for the “decisive movement” against the “injustice with the urban Sindh”.

“History never lies,” he said. “It tells us how hundreds of people once quit the party but returned after realising that for them, MQM is like a mother, which can never be quit or abandoned.”

Calling on former members to return to the MQM fold, Dr Siddiqui said: “Let’s begin a decisive movement against the injustice with urban Sindh. Let’s launch a movement for an empowered local government. Let’s prove that we are true representatives of this city.”

Earlier, senior party leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan briefed workers about details of the Monday night meeting with the PPP leaders and a team of federal ministers to mediate between the two parties.

“We face a deadlock in talks with the PPP,” he admitted, strengthening the impression that the Sindh government was convinced to hold local bodies elections in Karachi and Hyderabad on Jan 15 in line with the Election Commission of Pakistan’s schedule under the existing delimitation, defying the MQM-P’s demand.

“We haven’t accepted anything from their [PPP’s] side. Khalid [Maqbool Siddiqi] Bhai made it clear to them that now we are free to take our decision independently. Now it’s our turn to make decisions,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2023