{"id":26963,"date":"2023-11-21T20:33:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T20:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/ex-mqm-lawmakers-muzammil-qureshi-wasim-qureshi-pledge-allegiance-to-ppp-as-party-eyes-more-desertions\/"},"modified":"2023-11-21T20:33:02","modified_gmt":"2023-11-21T20:33:02","slug":"ex-mqm-lawmakers-muzammil-qureshi-wasim-qureshi-pledge-allegiance-to-ppp-as-party-eyes-more-desertions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/ex-mqm-lawmakers-muzammil-qureshi-wasim-qureshi-pledge-allegiance-to-ppp-as-party-eyes-more-desertions\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-MQM lawmakers Muzammil Qureshi, Wasim Qureshi pledge allegiance to PPP as party eyes more desertions"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Former MQM-Pakistan National Assembly member Muzammil Qureshi and ex-Sindh Assembly member Wasim Qureshi \u2014 who recently joined the PPP \u2014 on Tuesday urged the people of Karachi to support the PPP in the upcoming elections, citing its \u201ccontributions to the development of the province\u201d and a substantial vote bank as crucial factors to choose it.<\/p>\n

The endorsement for the PPP from former MQM members came during a press conference led by PPP leader Saeed Ghani. Others who flanked Ghani included Mirza Khalil Baig, Saleem Bandani, Manohar Lal, Sumita Afzal, Tehseen Abidi, Muhammad Ali Brohi, Tauqeer Ahmed, and Tanveer-ul-Haq Thanvi.<\/p>\n

The MQM-P and the PML-N had recently agreed on a seat adjustment<\/a> that is seen by many as an anti-PPP move that could give the latter an advantage in urban areas of Sindh during the general elections.<\/p>\n

Although several former lawmakers and office-bearers of the MQM-P had joined the PPP over the past two years, the recent inclusion of two former lawmakers into the PPP \u2014 ex-MNA Muzammil and MPA Wasim \u2014 has created ripples, according to a Dawn<\/em> report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Muzammil had announced the decision during a meeting with PPP-Parliamentarian president Asif Zardari, while Wasim pledged allegiance to the PPP at a public meeting held on Sunday in district Central.<\/p>\n

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But the MQM-P tried to play down the development. At a workers\u2019 convention held on Sunday, MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui \u201cthanked the PPP for picking up our trash\u201d. At the same event, senior leader Mustafa Kamal described those joining \u201cthe sinking ship\u201d of the PPP as \u201cmad people\u201d and announced that none of them would be allowed back into the party fold.<\/p>\n

He went one step further when he blamed the leadership of the Altaf Hussain-led MQM, commonly known as MQM-London, for allegedly facilitating the PPP, particularly in district Central, and said that the former ruling party in Sindh was banking on the possible call from London to boycott the polls.<\/p>\n

At a presser today, Muzammil said everyone had a right to join a political party of their choice and any allegation or demeaning remarks by rivals had no value.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were tissue papers for you. Yes, you used us whenever you wanted, and then discarded us,\u201d he said in a reference to the MQM-P leadership.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want people to try the PPP as their work is evident and they have a large vote bank in the province.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Former MQM MNA Khawaja Sohail Mansoor, who is now also a part of the PPP, credited the party for appointing an educated individual \u2014 Murtaza Wahab \u2014as Karachi\u2019s mayor.<\/p>\n

He emphasised that during the turbulent period of Benazir Bhutto\u2019s assassination in 2007, it was only the PPP that advocated for unity, in contrast to the \u201cMQM\u2019s stance on the disintegration of the country\u201d.<\/p>\n

Mansoor commented on the recent MQM-PMLN alliance, suggesting that former PM Nawaz Sharif should recognise the lack of his influence in Karachi and MQM\u2019s absence of a stronghold in Punjab. \u201cThis alliance is not going to make any impact,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Former MPA Wasim Qureshi highlighted, \u201cKarachi got peace after numerous sacrifices. Today we have no no-go area in the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reflecting on the incident of August 22, 2016<\/a>, when MQM supremo Altaf Hussain allegedly raised an \u201canti-Pakistan slogan,\u201d Qureshi pointed out, \u201cWe stood for Pakistan and chose the country\u2019s stability. Since that day, we served this country.\u201d<\/p>\n

PPP leader Ghani asserted that MQM was purportedly leading a campaign to impede the inclusion of more of its members into the PPP.<\/p>\n

He stated, \u201cThere was a tradition in the past that no one could leave MQM, but the situation has changed now. Many people have come to us, others joined different political parties. But inductions into PPP have triggered shock and panic among MQM ranks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ghani added that more such inductions were expected in the days to come.<\/p>\n

He claimed that a growing number of people within the MQM had \u201crealised that the party is no longer operating as a political entity. Instead, it is being used to weaken the PPP in the province\u201d.<\/p>\n