Internal differences pose serious threat to MQM

Internal differences and fissures in Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) are a bigger threat to the party than the recent embarrassment it faced after the Rangers raid on Nine-Zero, the party's headquarters in Karachi. A senior member of the party told Business Recorder on condition of anonymity that the party is divided into more than three groups and each group is pursuing its own strategy.
"Different groups are vying for influence in different parts of the city and this is the real reason behind the party's current woes," he said. He said that some members of the party were also spying for the Rangers and some intelligence agencies besides conspiring against each other. "Head of each group feels that if he succeeds in developing friendly relations with the establishment, he could become chief of the party," he said.
He claimed that the Rangers raided the Nine-Zero on the information given by Umair Siddiqui, MQM worker, who was arrested in the second week of February. "Siddiqui and some other party members being held by the Rangers and the police have been divulging some important information about illegal activities of some top party leaders," he said. The party's top leadership is worried not about the arrest of the party leaders like Amir Khan but the real concern is the seizure of videos from the Nine-Zero that were filmed with secret cameras, he said. "The Rangers may find some important information in these videos as well that could lead to further operations against the party," he said.
He said that the Rangers personnel had prior information about the secret cameras installed at Nine-Zero and this was an inside job. "The videos filmed by the secret cameras could reveal information about movement of criminals who were apprehended from the party's headquarters," he said. The differences between numerous factions of the party emanate from their vested interests in the city, he added, but they "all want to remain influential within the party as well."
The MQM chief Altaf Hussain has been gradually losing his control over the party after Imran Farooq's murder in London, he said adding that Scotland Yard's ongoing investigation against Hussain for murder as well as alleged money laundering has emboldened some disenchanted party leaders to adopt their own line in the politics.