Issues with MQM

Recent telephonic addresses of Altaf Hussain, leader of MQM, to the General Workers of the movement have left few unanswered questions about the internal issues. It seems like Altaf Hussain has lost the grip over the think-tanks and office bearers of his movement and he has serious concerns over their discipline, actions, role in bridging the communication between the Quaid and Party Workers.

 During his address on Sep 4 , Altaf Hussain announced that Karachi Tanzeemi Committee (KTC) shall be dis-functional by 11 Sep which has been set as ineffective on due date. He in his recent speech also put MQM's Rabita Committee (the highest body for keeping the party chain intact) on last warning and decided to re-elect its members as soon as appropriate names were forwarded by the offices of the movement in due course of time.

Some important inferences drawn from these vital steps are discussed below: -

Timings

It is important to keep in mind the timings of these speeches. In Islamabad, Pakistan Tehrik e Insaf (PTI) led by Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) under the leadership of Tahir ul Qadri are protesting against the rigging in 2013 General Elections and for want of renewal of democratic system in Pakistan. MQM, initially supported the demands of both the parties but then backed-off seeing that all parties in the parliament have joined hands with the government against the agitating parties outside parliament building. Altaf Hussain must have thought it appropriate to raise the issues at this moment when apparently federal government has lost its strength in general public. He could possible achieve following benefits by his speeches at this time: -

• Raise his voice to support General Musharraf's case as it was being dealt with stubborn attitude of Nawaz government when it was in strength.
• Prove all his workers innocent for all the turbulence in Karachi and criticize law enforcers for the arrests of "innocent" MQM workers.
• Raise the voice for separate Sind for Mohajirs while the government is already in a fix to deal with PTI and PAT.
• Stay in media, that was giving excessive coverage to the live speeches; and debates thereon, of Imran Khan and Tahir ul Qadri.

MQM Exposed?

During his address to the party workers Altaf Hussain asked them to recommend names of workers to be included in new Rabita Committee who were: -

• Educated.
• Not involved in Land Mafia.
• Not involved in Bhatta.
• Not involved in Corruption.
• Trusted old party workers.

This clearly indicates that office bearers of MQM Rabita Committee, despite all their clarifications and denial of being involved in Land Mafia and Bhatta Khori were directly involved in all these crimes since these were the issues, their leader residing in London was not happy with.  

MQM leader also alleged Pakistan Army for being unjust towards the Movement and he said that besides all the sacrifices made by MQM for the creation of Pakistan and its stability thereafter, MQM has always been taken as a traitor party by the establishment. 

By the confessions made by Altaf Hussain while describing the criteria for selection/ nomination of new members of Rabita Committee, does not he provide enough evidence and reasons for common Pakistanis to believe that MQM has been a major cause of Karachi turmoil in the recent times?