RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) chief Dr Farooq Sattar ruled out the possibility of joining Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) saying he would prefer death to joining PSP or any other party.

He made this assertion at a hurriedly-called press conference Sunday in reaction to the statement regarding defection from MQM-P to the PSP that was formed by ex-MQM members Mustafa Kamal and Anis Qaimkhani.

He said he wants to meet Chief Justice of Pakistan and Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in view of sensitivity of current situation. He said he risked his life that was at stake. He said recent developments taking place just months ahead of the general elections compelled him to seek to meet heads of judiciary and army. He said he demands guarantees for safety of families of MQM-P’s leaders.

Sattar lamented how the outgoing assembly members are being treated and nothing good could be expected for incoming [one]. Farooq Sattar said MNAs and MPAs from MQM-P were being given death threats for switching to PSP against their will.

MQM-P’s Bahadurabad faction lost its prominent figure Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani who joined PSP. Earlier, PIB faction led by Farooq Sattar had suffered from defections and Sattar was accused of tacitly encouraging his men to switch to PSP. He was trying to patch up with Bahadurabad faction led by Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui therefore he considered Qaimkhani’s defection was a blow to the alliance between Bahadurabad and PIB groups.

He referred that propaganda was rife among workers that he was sending MNAs and MPAs to the PSP but Qaimkhani’s departure to PSP marked end to that misleading propaganda. He said earlier Kamran Tessori was made bone of contention prior to the Senate elections.