‘MQM to also emerge as major party in Balochistan this time’

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Senior Deputy Convener Syed Mustafa Kamal has submitted his nomination papers for the National Assembly constituency NA-247, while Senior Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar for the NA-240 and NA-244 constituencies.

The MQM-P spokesperson said the party’s Abdul Waseem has filed his nomination papers for NA-244, Syed Aminul Haque for NA-246, Dr Abdul Qadir Khanzada for NA-236 and NA-237, and Engr Sabir Hussain for NA-219.

The spokesperson said Muhammad Hussain has filed his nomination papers for NA-232 and the provincial assembly constituency PS-91, Shabeer Ahmed Qaimkhani for NA-233, Sadiq Iftikhar for NA-234 and Aamir Moin Pirzada for NA-234.

Talking to the media, Kamal said the MQM-P has filed nomination papers from various constituencies across Pakistan. He asserted that the party would also emerge as a major party in Balochistan this time.

He criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for Sindh allegedly lacking basic facilities despite spending billions of rupees on the province. He claimed that the PPP has destroyed Karachi, Hyderabad and other urban areas.

He also claimed that Karachi witnessed progress only in the first four years of the MQM-P’s tenure, but there has been no development since then. He termed the Jamaat-e-Islami “a party of hypocrites who label everyone a non-Muslim”. He claimed that on February 8 the MQM-P would win with a significant majority from Karachi to Kashmir, and in every district of Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Punjab.

‘Final stages’

A statement quoted Dr Sattar as saying that the MQM-P is the only party in the country that brings educated and capable youth to parliament. He said the party is providing opportunities for youth and simultaneously training older individuals to mentor the younger generation. On the contrary, he added, other parties usually nominate landowners and influential figures.

He mentioned that the MQM-P is in the final stages of formulating its manifesto, emphasising the need for negotiations before the 2024 general elections to achieve national consensus and address the issues of the people.

He asserted that districts should be empowered to resolve their problems independently. He also said the MQM-P would achieve substantial success on Karachi’s and Hyderabad’s national and provincial assembly seats.