KARACHI: (HRNW) The head of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Bahali Committee Dr Farooq Sattar has announced to support the MQM-P’s political movement against ‘controversial’ delimitations and raising voices for a strong local government (LG) system.
Dr Farooq Sattar made the announcement after meeting MQM-P convener Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at his residence in PIB Colony today.
During the meeting, Dr Siddiqui invited Dr Sattar to attend the upcoming protest scheduled for January 11.
Addressing a joint press conference, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that pre-poll rigging is started in Karachi and Hyderabad ahead of LG polls via flawed delimitations and bogus voter lists.
Sattar said that he has already warned MQM-P leaders of their mistake by signing a political agreement with the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in Sindh. He also announced to start joint political efforts with MQM-P leadership for the rights of the urban Sindh areas.
Sources told that Dr Farooq Sattar assured Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of attending the MQM-P’s protest against the delimitations.
He complained about not counting Muhajirs in the population census and depriving them of basic human rights. He criticised PPP for not complying with the political agreements with the MQM-P.
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui welcomed Dr Farooq Sattar for announcing his support to the MQM-P demands. He said that the union councils (UCs) of Muhajir majority areas is based on 80,000 to 100,000 citizens, on the other hand, the remaining UCs are based on 25,000 to 30,000 people where Muhajirs are not in majority.
Dr Siddiqui said that pre-poll rigging is started in Karachi and nobody will accept the LG polls’ results. He also slammed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for not fulfilling its responsibility for conducting free and fair LG polls.
The MQM-P convener said that they have no other option other than taking to the streets for their due rights. He, however, clarified that MQM-P will not boycott the LG polls and give a tough time to its political rivals.