'MQM Played A Losing Hand By Boycotting Local Govt Polls'

'MQM Played A Losing Hand By Boycotting Local Govt Polls'
The decision by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to boycott local government polls was wrong; it essentially threw the party out of politics for the next four years.

MQM's Raza Haroon told Khabar Say Aagay host Murtaza Solangi on Thursday that the leadership lacks a vision. "It may as well lose its electoral constituencies in the days ahead."

On the mayoral election, he said that the leader of the house was supposed to attain a simply majority of 184 votes.

The PPP would have been exposed had it allowed the 30 'missing' PTI activists to join its camp during the voting. So when that wasn't the case, the mayor Karachi lost simple majority.

As per unofficial results, PPP's Murtaza Wahab won the polls. He bagged the city's top slot with 173 votes, while Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman received 161 as the runner-up.

The JI accused Sindh government of abducting some 29 members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, an ally of the party for the election.

The party demanded that Election Commission nullify the polls and issue a fresh schedule for the same.

Separately, JI chief Siraj-ul-Haq said the process involved the abduction of elected representatives, vote-buying, and pressure tactics.

Funds stalemate

Speaking about the talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dr Ayesha Siddiqa said Pakistan is under the impression that the US isn't playing its role, and so it should 'opt for' China.

With the major players locking horns, Pakistan should side with the one that's likely to grant it funds, the analyst added.

'Judicial U-turns'

Reporter Imran Waseem cited the examples of various cases, saying that the superior judiciary seems to be taking U-turns as well, as he referred to PTI chairman Imran Khan.

He said the Chief Justice had earlier praised the Review of Judgements law, but raised an objection over the same today.

Flagship Naya Daur TV show Khabar Say Aagay streams Monday to Saturday at 9pm.