MQM has been helped by Musharraf government, and in return they supported his regime. Now its between rock and a hard place situation for them. If they go with people’s voice, join the mainstream parties coallition, they would have to ditch president Musharraf. This could become a forever stigma, of ditching their one time friend. If they do not join the coallition, they alienate themselves from rest of the country, as most likely PPPP and PMLN will make the government. Without MQM however, they may not get two third majority to oust president Musharraf. In such situation they will be accused of, going against the national sentiments. Tough call, but lets see what people suggest they should do. This is an interesting political conundrum, so lets limit yourself to suggestions here, since there are many other threads for bashing purposes.
Re: new role for MQM
Old idiom is still true.
Everything is fair in war ( read it politics ) and love. If MQM goes with mainstream for the benefit of its voters . I do not think their voters bank will reject them in the next election. If they decide to be in opposition that can hurt them badly again as has happened so many times already. They should have learned their lessons by now. No ?
Re: new role for MQM
Nobody will remember or care about Mush in a couple years time.
The choice is obvious.
Re: new role for MQM
MQM has been helped by Musharraf government, and in return they supported his regime. Now its between rock and a hard place situation for them. If they go with people's voice, join the mainstream parties coallition, they would have to ditch president Musharraf. This could become a forever stigma, of ditching their one time friend. If they do not join the coallition, they alienate themselves from rest of the country, as most likely PPPP and PMLN will make the government. Without MQM however, they may not get two third majority to oust president Musharraf. In such situation they will be accused of, going against the national sentiments. Tough call, but lets see what people suggest they should do. This is an interesting political conundrum, so lets limit yourself to suggestions here, since there are many other threads for bashing purposes.
Despite all the pre-election rhetoric and demands by PML (N) or PPP, I do not believe any coaltion govt will be anti-Musharaf as they have made themselves out to be. Hence, any party, including MQM, that is part of the coalition will not have to worry about whether they are being pro or anti-Musharaf.
I believe the govt that will be formed will follow the path of reconciliation at this very delicate time for Pakistan. No one will get themselves bogged down in nonsensical battle over the next 12 months of trying to oust the President. There are many more important challenges waiting for the govt to worry about including war on terror and continue with nation confidence building.
Re: new role for MQM
Well, one should read Fazlur Rahman in today’s DAWN. On the other hand, there was a program on ARY today where member of PML(CTBT), PPP(Zardari) and PML(Q) all agreed that election result is unexplainable and fishy and there is a lot about the result that is unexplainable, as votes in National Assembly seats were several times more than combined votes of Provincial Assemblies in that constituency.
Plus, in most urban seats, candidates won with huge majority (at places, 50,000 to 100,000 votes where most of the time, elections were closely fought), that has never happened before, though in rural areas, election results shows a very different scenario, as seen traditionally, where they are fought closely.
Result of this election is that, two parties emerged as National parties, they are PPP and PML(Q), where as PML(N) came out as party of only urban Punjab. Most surprising is that, if PML(N) became so popular in Pakistan than why only in urban Punjab?
[It is believed that some in PML(N) is thinking to rename their party as PML (CTBT) … that is, Punjab Municipal League(Chota Tind and Bara Tind) :)].
Anyhow, Fazlur Rahman may be accused of anything, but he is not a politician who is expected to show grudges or lack sportsmanship, and it was unexpected of him to allege something wrong in election. Fazlur Rahman is not ronu (those who cry) like PPP and PML leaderships. Here is what Fazlur Rahman says.
http://www.dawn.com/2008/02/21/top8.htm
Poll results prepared before Feb 18, alleges Fazl
By Abdus Salam
BANNU, Feb 20: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has alleged that poll results were prepared well before the Feb 18 election on the basis of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) promulgated under agreements reached with some exiled leaders.
Talking to journalists at the Durrani House in Mewakhel on Wednesday, he said he had no plans to move the court against the results despite reservations expressed by some leaders of his party.
“We have some reservations. The turnout which was low during polling turned out to be quite high during the counting. The unofficial results declared at polling stations were different from those announced officially,” he added.
The JUI-F chief said that a meeting of the party’s parliamentary and central executive committees would decide about a future line of action in a couple of days.
He said the JUI-F would prefer to sit in the opposition in the national as well as provincial assemblies. However, he said that his party would support the move for restoration of the Constitution.
“People have given their decision. Now the position and worth of every party are clear. People’s mandate should be respected and protected,” he added.
Maulana Fazl said the next government would face a number of internal and external challenges inherited from the previous rulers.
He said that the religious alliance had suffered the drubbing because of APDM’s boycott of the elections. “The decision was wrong and people did not respond to the boycott call. The APDM has miserably failed to keep the people away from polling stations.”
He said that Qazi Hussain Ahmed and his team should confess to have committed a blunder which had shattered the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.
Maulana Fazl accused the government of keeping him away from electioneering on the pretext of security cover.
Answering a question, he said President Pervez Musharraf was over-confident about his popularity and had said that he would quit whenever he felt that his popularity graph had declined. “And now that the nation has given its verdict, there is no moral justification for President Musharraf to stick to power.”
He said the war against terrorism and extremism was a drama staged by the establishment to malign the MMA government in the Frontier. “The situation in the volatile tribal areas will soon be normal and the army and paramilitary forces will start withdrawing from the areas.”
He said a strong, stable and secure democratic set-up required complete independence of the judiciary, adding that the release of a few judges would not resolve the judicial crisis.
Re: new role for MQM
^^Are you saying that the MQM rigged the elections to win 20+ seats in Karachi? 
Since when did MQM start listening to Mollahs?
Re: new role for MQM
kia waqt aa gaya hay ke becharay pro-Mushy logon ko Fazlu jaisay logon ki baat sun-ni par rahi hay aur sonay pe suhaga sach bhi maan rahay hayn 
Re: new role for MQM
zardari is also agreed to talk to MQM.
well no matter what, despite MQM being thugs, sindhi's are also no good with mohajirs. so in fact karachi needs both of these "takay dono parties k damag jagah per rahay".
and i pray that they put effort in educating pakistanis rather than take them as poor haari (farmer) of their goooat (village) like sindhi waderaz/landlord do, or give them access to weapon like :whistling
Re: new role for MQM
Apparently MQM has been left holding the baby. They should read the writings on the walls and should follow the policy of tolerence and freindship in years to come. A hard call for them.
Re: new role for MQM
Saleem the word actually is not 'ronu' but 'rondu'...
Re: new role for MQM
Well why take the direction from mqm side, see what shaikh rashid is going to do, at one point he was loyal to the Musharaf and was saying this will be his last election, after getting defeat in this one, he saying he is going to make another party, and saying there willl be elections again in three months. Pathetic.
Re: new role for MQM
Not only that but Mard-e-Haq Junior after being humiliated in the recent elections is thinking about forming his own PML!
http://pkpolitics.com/2008/02/20/ejazul-haq-may-form-his-own-pml/
Read some of the funny comments below
My favourite is this one:
"Who cares.
And it would not be the first time he ll do that.
It is some kind of a record in Pakistani electoral politics that all or atleast last six incumbent federal ministers of religious affairs HAVE LOST RE-ELECTION , some kind of divine damnation at work. IT will be interesting to watch out who would be the next religious affairs minister and his future political fate. Sorry for spreading obscurantism.
CMLA = Cancel My Last Announcement/Appointment.." LOL