KARACHI: The Altaf Hussain-led Muttahida Qaumi Movement, commonly called MQM-London, has announced names of its ‘Wafa Parast’ independent candidates on 80 national and provincial assembly seats in Sindh, including two in Punjab.

The decision, which was announced in a video briefing by London-based convener Mustafa Azizabadi on Sunday night, may have a somewhat negative impact on the prospects of the MQM-Pakistan, which seemed to be banking on the possibility of a boycott by the MQM-L.

The MQM-L had boycotted the 2018 general elections. The PTI had won 14 of the 21 NA seats in Karachi and the MQM-P got only four while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) bagged three NA seats. In subsequent by-elections, the PPP improved its tally to five.

This time around, the MQM-P was eyeing 15 plus seats in Karachi and two in Hyderabad but the latest announcement has put it in a tight spot as it is widely believed that the division of Urdu speaking vote bank between MQM-P and MQM-L might help the PPP and the Jamaat-i-Islami in several constituencies of Karachi.

Sources said that the names were announced at the eleventh hour as part of a strategy of the MQM-L that has been facing an undeclared ban since Aug 22, 2016 incendiary speech of its founder.

Election officials confirmed to Dawn that the last date for any candidate to announce retirement from the elections, after which the returning officer (RO) concerned issues a notification, was Feb 4.

The MQM-L has fielded candidates on 19 NA seats, out of total 22, in Karachi, two NA seats in Hyderabad and one each in Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar, Sanghar, Multan and Muzzafargarh.

It announced candidates on 36 provincial assembly seats in Karachi, five in Hyderabad and 10 in other Sindh cities.

In Hyderabad, an MQM-L-backed candidate, Iqbal Arain was picked by Rangers and police from Hyder Chowk on Monday, his family said.

When asked to comment on the MQM-L announcement, a spokesperson for the MQM-P said: “The nation stands with the MQM-Pakistan and its electoral symbol Kite and any support announced by any side to anyone will make no difference.”

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2024