From our correspondent
KARACHI - Muttahida Qaumi Movement, so far regarded as an ethnic political party of Mohajirs, is confident that the first Sindhi candidate it has fielded in an election since its inception will bag the National Assembly seat, NA-246, from Karachi.
Azizullah Brohi is facing Rashid Naseem of Muttahida Majlise Amal, the alliance of six mainstream religious parties, and Younus Khan of the Haqiqi splinter group of the MQM. The MQM says it has fielded the Sindhi politician, and also some candidates from other ethnic groups, to broaden its base across Sindh and in other parts of the country and its leadership is confident that the party’s traditional voters would support them.
The Haqiqi group is exploiting Mohajir sentiments and believes that voters in the Mohajir-dominated constituency would not vote for a Sindhi. The MMA candidate is opposing both of them, criticising them for their ethnic politics. In 1997, MQM’s Farooq Ahmed had defeated Jamaat’s veteran leader Professor Ghafoor Ahmed in this constituency. In the 1988 and 1990 elections also, the MQM had won the seat with wide margins. The party boycotted the 1993 elections.
The constituency comprises several blocks of Federal ‘B’ Area, Al Azam Square, Block 1 Sharifabad , Gharibabad, Ishaqabad, Bundhani Colony, FC Area, Punjabi Colony, Apsara Apartment, Al Karam Square and parts of Liaquatabad. Political observers here believe that the MQM vote-bank in the area stays intact and anyone carrying the party ticket stands a chance of getting elected.
According to them, a Sindhi politician getting elected from this hardcore Mohajir constituency will have a positive effect on the politics of the city suffering ethnic hatred and violence for about two decades. The observers say that a victory for Mr Brohi will be a great achievement for the MQM in its efforts to shed its ethnic image.
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*Originally posted by Spock: *
I hope the MQM loses badly... If there is one party that will get Sindh, it has to be the PPPP...
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Yaar Spock, don't take this as an offence.
When PPP was in Govt. , they made Govt in Sindh with the support of MQM as well as in National Assembly to defeat Ganja. In last election MQM didn't take part in elections.
My family members mostly support these parties because according to them Karachi was better and progress during MQM and PPP.
When PPP was in Govt. , they made Govt in Sindh with the support of MQM as well as in National Assembly to defeat Ganja. In last election MQM didn't take part in elections.
My family members mostly support these parties because according to them Karachi was better and progress during MQM and PPP.
All mess is created by Ganja party.
Is that true?
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PT, my half of my family is also in Karachi... During the last PPPP regime (in whch they were not allied with the MQM) they were going through very difficult times... All of them have been burgalarized atleast once. However, I do not blame the PPP govt for that mess... They did their best to counteract and take out all the mqm terrorists, and credit goes to Gen. Babur. I don't even consider Ganja to be responsible for this. Both PPP and PML can never think of dividing this country and let go of Karachi, it was the MQM and thank goodness things are back to normal, and the present regime has enjoyed better relations with the MQM which is why Karachi is regaining its lost image.
PT, my half of my family is also in Karachi... During the last PPPP regime (in whch they were not allied with the MQM) they were going through very difficult times... All of them have been burgalarized atleast once. However, I do not blame the PPP govt for that mess... They did their best to counteract and take out all the mqm terrorists, and credit goes to Gen. Babur. I don't even consider Ganja to be responsible for this. Both PPP and PML can never think of dividing this country and let go of Karachi, it was the MQM and thank goodness things are back to normal, and the present regime has enjoyed better relations with the MQM which is why Karachi is regaining its lost image.
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Spock, do you remember the name Hakeem Muhammad Saeed, the founder of Hamdard?
PML(N) blamed MQM for killing him.
Also, I didn't say PPP for messing up peace of Karachi. I said PPP and MQM had great tied among them. That's all I know from my mates and family members.
I used to have a bit of appreciation for the MQM, because it was a true middle class party, besides that none of it's MPA's or MNA's had any corruption association ( a fact proven by NAB when it launched investigations). Unfortunately the brutality with which their militants treated everybody from Mohajirs who disagreed to Punjabis, Pashtuns and Sindhis and how they terrorised the business community was horrific. This though is a good sign, let's hope the party starts a real reform process.
Spock, do you remember the name Hakeem Muhammad Saeed, the founder of Hamdard?
PML(N) blamed MQM for killing him.
Also, I didn't say PPP for messing up peace of Karachi. I said PPP and MQM had great tied among them. That's all I know from my mates and family members.
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Yep, Hakeem Saeed was the limit, I mean what a sincere guy, and they kill him too... Btw, PPP and MQM formed a government in 1988 together, but MQM parted ways soon, and in the next victory, it stood against PPP
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*Originally posted by Zakk: *
I used to have a bit of appreciation for the MQM, because it was a true middle class party, besides that none of it's MPA's or MNA's had any corruption association ( a fact proven by NAB when it launched investigations). Unfortunately the brutality with which their militants treated everybody from Mohajirs who disagreed to Punjabis, Pashtuns and Sindhis and how they terrorised the business community was horrific. This though is a good sign, let's hope the party starts a real reform process.
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Well, if they can get the job done, I suppose thats what counts. You could field a chimp to run for elections, as long as your do what you promise to do, and make a difference.