The ignominious slide of Muttahida Qaumi Movement or a party that has been dominating Urban Sindh's political landscape since the mid 1980s is under the spotlight ahead of the Senate of Pakistan elections. The profundity of party's latest ordeal may be discerned from the fact that both MQM Haqiqqi and Pak Sarzameen Party - the breakaway factions of MQM - have preferred not to become part of MQM's internal turf battles, rejecting the MQM chief Dr Farooq Sattar's call for "cooperation in the greater interest of the [Muhajir] nation". As talks between the warring leaders of MQM or MQM-P broke down, several months of deep-seated tensions were unravelled. The situation clearly shows that the members of MQM's policymaking body, the Coordination Committee, have been accusing their post-Altaf Husain principal leader, Dr Farooq Sattar, of playing the role of a deceitful cook who skimps on ingredients and shortchanges guests. On the other hand, a brilliant but beleaguered Sattar has made it clear to the entire party - from cadre to the office-bearers - that he will not acquiesce to any move that seeks to belittle his stature as the party chief. There is no doubt about the fact that party's new constitution that Sattar submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan "surreptitiously" has in fact endowed him with some 'unbridled' powers. This new party document fully legitimizes Sattar's position as party supremo who can take any or all decisions unilaterally; and he can revoke or annul any or all decisions taken by any other leader or even the entire Coordination Committee. Armed by such powers, Sattar was therefore in a position to suspend in the wee hours of Tuesday morning the entire Coordination Committee for taking a "punitive" action against Kamran Tessori of gold business fame.
The party discipline hit its nadir following award of tickets for the March Senate elections. The bone of contention between the committee and Sattar is Tessori. While Sattar wants to use his discretionary power to allow the award of Senate election ticket to Tessori, the Coordination Committee is fighting tooth and nail against the party convener's 'veto' or the nomination of Karachi-based precious commodity trader. There exist divergent views about Tessori's role inside and outside the party. Unlike Sattar who believes that party owes to Tessori for providing much-needed financial assistance and playing a bridge between party and the Establishment ever since the party faced the prospects of ban following party founder Altaf Husain's anti-Pakistan August 22, 2016 speech, other MQM leaders believe that Tessori is in fact the principal reason behind the party's woes, accusing him of playing a key role in the MQM-Pak Sarzameen Party merger attempt with a view to depriving them of their "brand" MQM. An incensed Sattar, who has taken strong action against Coordination Committee for violating his commands in relation to the famous or notorious anti-Tessori Bahadurabad meeting, has however used the occasion to send a strong message that 'MQM is Farooq Sattar and Farooq Sattar is MQM', leaving his detractors or rivals within MQM with no option but to follow his decisions obligingly.
Be that as it may, the MQM squabbles have had a telling effect on the urban development of Sindh. Not only have the issues of safe drinking water and sanitation become more pronounced in recent days and weeks, the Karachiites, who have been getting an extremely rough deal from federal agencies, are finding it extremely difficult to air their grievances in any effective and meaningful manner. Little do the MQM leaders know that their lack of focus on people's genuine and legitimate grievances will certainly hurt their prospects in the July 2018 elections. Last but not least, the unraveling of MQM was expected, but it is highly disappointing nevertheless.