KARACHI – Saleem Shahzad, former senior leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has announced his decision to set up his own political party under which he will take part in upcoming general elections.
Talking to media outside of the city court, Shahzad said that he aimed at contesting election from Orangi Town, an area of the metropolitan city, adding that candidates of the party would also be fielded in other constituencies.
A division within the MQM had started emerging when the party founder, Altaf Hussain, made anti-Pakistan speech inciting violence in August 2016.
Farooq Sattar, who was considered to be a close aide of Hussain, parted ways with the party and made his own party, MQM-Pakistan. Many other MQM’s lawmakers also left the party and joined hands with Sattar.
Later, former mayor of Karachi, Mustafa Kamal also distanced himself from Hussain after inciting speech case and set up the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).
Now, Shehzad has decided to enter Karachi’s politics through a new party. He said that everyone except target killers and those involved in China-cutting can become the member of the party.
He also announced to carry out a rally on December 16 in Orangi Town, while he has not shared the name of his party.
Shahzad, a close aide of MQM supremo, had been taken into custody by the Karachi police when he landed at Karachi airport from Dubai in February this year after ending 24-year long self-imposed exile. He was wanted by the police in several cases. Later, he was freed from prison in June on bail.
One of the recent allegations against him was leveled by Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr. Asim Hussain saying that Shahzad had provided shelter to terrorist and facilitated them for medical treatment.
