KARACHI, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has disbanded its Rabita Committee, the party’s primary decision-making body, following the emergence of two audio recordings revealing discussions from the committee’s meetings.
According to the MQM-P spokesperson, the Rabita Committee has been dissolved and will be reformed in the future. The MQM-P announces the reformation of the Rabita Committee. Two audio recordings of the organization’s meeting have surfaced. Siddiqui establishes a temporary committee, which he will lead. With great emphasis, an MQM-P spokesperson announced that the party’s convenor, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, decided to dismantle the current Rabita Committee. The spokesperson further declared not only its dissolution but also the extensive restructuring of all departments, provincial committees, zones, towns, and UCs in a subsequent phase.
In this transformative period, Siddiqui has established a temporary committee, which he will personally lead. This esteemed group will also include prominent members Mustafa Kamal, Farooq Sattar, Nasreen Jalil, Anis Kaimkhani, Kaif-ul-Wara, and Rizwan Babar. A party insider disclosed that the Rabita Committee’s disbandment was directly triggered by the audio leaks scandal. In a whirlwind of scandal, two audio leaks surfaced last month, capturing the conversations of distinguished leaders Mustafa Kamal and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori during Rabita Committee meetings. Both esteemed figures acknowledged the authenticity of these recordings.
Undeterred, Kamal continued his accusations, asserting that the leak was orchestrated by a member of MQM-London, who not only held a position within the Rabita Committee but also sought to undermine the party’s integrity.
Kamal’s audio leak:
On February 27th, a widely-discussed audio clip emerged, featuring Mustafa Kamal sharing crucial information with the Rabita Committee. In this revelation, he highlighted the PML-N’s apparent reluctance to engage in negotiations with MQM-P and accused the PPP of attempting to marginalize their party. As a key member of MQM-P’s delegation involved in discussions regarding government formation with PML-N, Kamal provided insights into their interactions with the latter, briefing the party’s coordination committee on the ongoing situation.
In the audio leak, Kamal expressed his observation about the PML-N’s apparent lack of enthusiasm for discussions with MQM-P, stating, “They didn’t seem in the mood to talk to us…” However, they still engaged in a 40 to 45-minute conversation. Kamal revealed that when asked about their interactions with the PPP, the PML-N maintained the discussions were confidential. Nevertheless, they shared a few details. The PML-N informed MQM-P that the PPP claimed the latter’s mandate was entirely fake, while other parties might have a 50% to 60% questionable mandate. Furthermore, Kamal mentioned that the PML-N disclosed the PPP’s stance on forming a government without MQM-P’s support, as they believed the partnership between the PPP and PML-N would secure a majority in parliament. Consequently, the PPP insisted MQM-P’s involvement in the coalition was unnecessary.
Tessori’s audio leak:
On February 28th, another audio clip emerged, featuring Tessori, a member of MQM-P’s negotiating committee with other political parties. In this recording, Tessori discussed the consequences of MQM-P’s involvement in the Shahbaz Sharif-led coalition. He explained that MQM-P had previously been part of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government when the PML-N and PPP were in opposition roles. Tessori added that their support for the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had displeased their voters.
Tessori, a member of MQM-P, pointed out in the audio that despite the challenges faced during the 2018 elections, the party secured seven seats, which were their vote base. However, in the hypothetical 2024 polls, they did not receive the same voter support. MQM-P was offered only one ministry, specifically Information Technology, as part of the government, and they were also expected to appoint their own governor in Sindh. Tessori expressed concerns that the party would face severe repercussions if they joined the alliance. Furthermore, an alleged audio from an MQM-P meeting in Sindh revealed that the PPP was exerting pressure on the PML-N to marginalize the party.
