KARACHI, July 11(ABC): In a surprising move, former Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convener Dr Farooq Sattar on Sunday announced to withdraw from the upcoming NA-245 elections in favor of the party’s candidate.
Speaking to the media after offering Eidul Azha prayers in Karachi, Farooq announced a change of heart.
“Today, we are embarking on a new journey with the formula: “one constituency, one candidate”,” he said while standing next to MQM-P’s candidate for NA-245 Moid Anver Sharif.
“I have also adopted this motto and have from today started campaigning for Moid Anver bhai,” he said. Previously, Sattar had filed candidacy papers with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to contest NA-245 as an independent candidate.
“I want to tell the people that the kite’s strings have been fixed and we have to fly the ‘Kite’ (MQM-P’s electoral symbol) once again and make it successful,” he said.
Sattar recalled that two major elections are coming up, local government elections on July 24 and National Assembly elections on July 27 and that he will try to make ensure that the party and Moid Anver are successful.
When asked when Sattar would make a return to the party, Sattar said that this decision was linked to the organization of MQM-P’s worker convention.
“When the worker’s convention is organized and when that event is held. My return and that of many others are linked to that,” he said.
“Everyone here today and in Sindh’s major cities, has only one question on their lips – when are you [MQM-P leadership] getting back together and sitting down, when are your demonstrating unity and launching a concerted movement,” Sattar continued in what was a gauntlet thrown to other leaders of the party.