Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) has described the arrest and subsequent release of Muttahida Qaumi Movement's (MQM) leader Khwaja Izharul Hassan as a drama. Addressing a press conference at PSP's office in Latifabad here on Saturday, the PSP's vice chairman Anees Advocate and Raza Haroon said the episode was part of a plan to win support for the party.
"Some elements again want to play the Mohajir card. Friday's occurrence gives a signal that the whole thing was part of some well orchestrated plan," said Anees. Despite this criticism, the PSP leader disapproved the way SSP Malir Rao Anwar arrested Hassan and demanded that the chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah should conduct an inquiry and bring the facts before the people.
Raza Haroon said some news analysts said Hassan had been detained so that he could be forced to switch his loyalty from MQM to the PSP. "I want to ask these analysts to tell why their prediction didn't come true if the perception of forcing the MQM leaders through means detention to join the PSP is really true?" he questioned. Both the leaders emphasised that despite a clear announcement by the MQM's Pakistan based leadership, the party had not practically disassociated itself from Altaf Hussain and London-based leadership. They demanded of the MQM's elected legislators to resign from the National Assembly and Sindh Assembly seats and to seek a new mandate from the people if there was any truth in their claim of renouncing Altaf.