KARACHI: Trouble is brewing in the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) – Pakistan, as party leaders have been urging convener Dr Farooq Sattar to remove deputy convener Kamran Tessori.
“If the demand is not met, we will be free to choose our course for the future,” the party leaders warned.
According to informed within the party, Tessori has become a source of discord within the party ranks. The party leadership has been expressing its concerns ever since Dr Sattar appointed Tessori deputy convener of the party. His presence is reportedly creating divisions and groupings within the party, which is in turn causing great difficulty for the MQM-Pakistan chief.
According to media, MQM-Pakistan leaders, MPAs and MNAs have demanded the cancellation of Tessori’s party membership. The PS-114 by-elections, party leaders have repeatedly expressed their reservations over continuous intrusions by Tessori. However, their concerns have continuously been pushed aside by Dr Sattar.
That the party’s top leadership had decided to alienate Tessori from party affairs and eventually cut him out from all major decisions. This irked Tessori, whose subsequent protest compelled Dr Sattar late at night to send his wife and mother to pacify him. This was followed by another attempt by Dr Sattar and Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, who visited Tessori at his residence two days later. Dr Sattar had assured Tessori of his importance within the party and said he would not part ways with him at any cost. However, sources close to the party claim that 90% of the party leaders want Tessori out.
Party leaders had also accused Tessori of leaking information and news of party meetings to the media. “Everyone in the party has a designated role – some are responsible for parliamentary affairs, some look after party affairs, while others engage in welfare work,” said sources within MQM-Pakistan. “But Kamran Tessori makes sure he intrudes in every department, causing great trouble for the party. He also leaks confidential party information.”
The party leaders are also disgruntled over the fact that Tessori has not honoured his pledge to financially support party workers who have been released on bail. According to sources, party leaders had also furnished evidence against Tessori but Dr Sattar refused to take notice of it. “Kamran Tessori has started to claim that he is going to become a senator in March,” said sources. “But Farooq Sattar is exercising restraint and taking no action against him,” they lamented.
“If Farooq Sattar does not take any action against Kamran Tessori,” the sources said, “We will be free to choose our future course.”
The issue has placed Dr Sattar in a difficult position. “The issue is expected to be resolved in the next few weeks,” the sources said. MQM-Pakistan parliamentary members and Rabita Committee members have shown great disapproval of Dr Sattar sending his wife and mother to Tessori’s house at night, saying the news has caused dissent in the party.
