Sattar, Kamal shake hands as LB elections in Karachi nears 

The upcoming second phase of local bodies (LBs) elections in Sindh on Wednesday forced Farooq Sattar, a senior politician who remained associated with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) for a long time and has now formed a faction of his own, to shake hands with Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chief Syed Mustafa Kamal, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

For the first time in his life, Farooq, who is now contesting the by-election on NA-245, Karachi as an independent candidate, travelled to PSP headquarters, Pakistan House, in Karachi to meet with Mustafa.  

Speaking to the media after the handshake, Farooq said it was only a matter of time before other factions of the MQM would also become one. “All these groups should now realize they have a responsibility. The LBs’ polls have brought me here,” he said, adding, “I want to serve the people along with the PSP.”  

He further said that although he had been spurned by his parent party MQM-P, still it was his duty to also visit the party’s headquarters in Bahadurabad.  

PSP chief, on the other hand, said that today the country’s politics had become very complicated.

He added that he and Farooq had the same ideology. “And everything he (Farooq) is doing these days is after taking us into confidence,” he added.

Mustafa regretted that there was widespread rigging in the first phase of LBs’ polls in Sindh. “But we will not allow this to happen in Karachi and Hyderabad,” he vowed.    

Both the leaders, on the occasion, also vowed to form an electoral alliance in future. 

Reporter: Junaid Feroze