ISLAMABAD, June 27: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MNA Kunwar Khalid Younus has criticized the statement of Karachi City Nazim Naimatullah Khan in which he challenged MQM chief Altaf Hussain to contest elections on any local government seat. Talking to Dawn on Monday, the MQM MNA said before issuing such a statement Naimatullah Khan should have looked into his past when he could not win the election on a National Assembly seat in 1993 despite a boycott by the MQM.

Mr Younus said in the 1993 general elections, Naimatullah Khan secured only 3.9 per cent of the total registered votes and lost to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Dost Mohammad Faizi.

He said Naimatullah Khan did not contest the local government elections in 2001 fearing the same results, but later became the city nazim taking advantage of the local government laws.

Moreover, Mr Younus said, Mr Naimatullah should keep in mind that MQM chief Altaf Hussain had set a new example in the history of Pakistan by leading a political party without contesting any election. He said Altaf Hussain had never contested the election which was a good example for many politicians.

The MQM MNA said he was surprised to see such a statement from a man who did not have favourable election statistics. He also challenged Naimatullah Khan to contest the election on any National Assembly seat from Karachi, if he considered himself a popular man.