MQM Quits

A lot is being said and written in the media about the causes and effects of the MQM quitting the coalitions at the centre and the province, including the gubernatorial office. The root cause, so far surfaced, looks to be the postponement of the bye elections for two seats at Karachi. The MQM leadership has made it amply known that they were being pressured by the PPP government to surrender one seat to them failing which they (PPP) would get the elections postponed. Apparently, the MQM not yielding the PPP had it its own way.  Now that’s alarming. If the Election Commission has really obliged the sitting government and not postponed the elections for reasons of security situation in Karachi, then all one can do is pray for the future of democracy in this land of the pure. 

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)