For many years Pakistan’s politics has been marred by turmoil. Karachi as a city has been especially under a lot of stress for the last few decades due to such turmoil. Though the city contributes 70% of the nation’s revenue. It has not been given its due share. Many reasons which come to our mind for this may include lack of will or consideration of the factor that the city inclusive of Sind Urban comprises mainly of people who have migrated at the time of partition and are known as Muhajirs. We also feel that one more probable cause is the lack of consideration by PPP a mainly Sindhi party whose will to develop Karachi is very low and they fear that developing Karachi without weakening Muhajirs would only make Muhajir community stronger. One more aspect could be in our view is lack of competence for developing the city as we have seen that PPP whose CM has been there for the last many decades have faltered in Karachi or urban parts of the province but also in their own areas of influence. We must not need to go far and we see their failure in their own strongholds of Karachi like Liyari or Malir where they have also failed their vote bank but virtually delivering nothing.

Meanwhile, in our opinion that due to the infighting between Muhajir leadership where we saw in most cases criminal tendencies taking over though we feel that state operations against the community has been selective and we saw even political workers with no criminal background subjugated to torture and in some cases extreme steps like extrajudicial killings as alienated the community. Further, the recent infighting and division amongst the community and tendency of certain fraction of the community to take extreme position against the state and its institutions have compelled the Muhajir community bulk of which do not have anything to do with such polarities as well as neutral of such behaviors seen in Sindh’s politics over the last many decades but looks frustrated and detached. This in our opinion is not healthy for any democratic society at the end of the day. Muhajir community which is one of the most educated community in the country if choose to stay away from the democratic process of the country will be a big negative for the nation at this time. We feel that the nation needs to be united democratically within spheres of the constitution of the Islamic republic of Pakistan where each of its institutions are contributing vehemently towards the building of the nation.

The current isolation of the millions of the Muhajir community and the recent actions which looks unilateral towards the community. We feel will isolate, detach and radicalize the community more. This is not in the interest of a united nation keenly required at this time. At the same time the current set of Muhajir representation looks weak, confused, criminalized, radicalized or seditious (in some case). The lack of leadership at the center in our opinion will help the enemies of the nation which we fear would utilize the situation to exploit an educated and a large minority in the Sindh’s urban center to their advantage. We feel that due to the above issues the bargaining power of Muhajir leaders for the community seems to be eroded, marginalized or neutralized. This in our opinion is neither in the community’s interest but neither in the interest of a United Pakistan.

We feel that at the same time whilst the problem of the current situation may lay within the community (Muhajir) and their leadership who after being in so many years in politics have failed to deliver the promise to the Muhajir community rather at the same time looks like that all the effort of the last many decades have gone in vain and the community now aware more about their rights looks leaderless and frustrated. Though at the same time when we can blame the political leadership of the community at all levels or within Pakistan or abroad. We cannot neglect the state who has equally failed in its responsibility to balance the situation in its role and is seen that instead of trying to resolve the concerns or issues is seen taking a side in the conflict. Instead of reinforcing its will to keep Karachi as its Nucleus and providing for an environment to reinstill Karachi as its core is seen seemingly resigned to the idea that other cities of Karachi should replace the city as core. Though we are not against the idea of developing other cities but not at the cost of weakening Karachi or urban centers of Sindh.

We have felt that the community, its leadership and its inhabitants are being dictated terms which are unipolar with no corresponding recourse. Hence, we feel that whilst the week Muhajir leadership due to their lacking’s and corruption have contributed to their current aggravated situation but at the same time state or some elements within the state for the reasons ethnic or otherwise have contributed to the situation in Karachi.

Though we will have to agree that the state’s security apparatus has brought the peace to the city to a great extent and the inhabitants are thankful for their efforts. But at the same time the community feels that not all elements have been neutralized and a unilateral operation has been executed against the community. We saw lately that other ethnicities were given opportunity to vet their political freedom whilst the right to protest have been almost zeroed on Muhajir community.

Though in principal we believe that Karachi is a city inhabited by all major communities of Pakistan inclusive of Pashtuns, Punjabis, Sindhis and Baluchs. But ignoring Muhajirs as the fifth major community of Pakistan and ignorance of the fact has kept the nation on thin ice for the last many years as Sindh Urban becomes more and more polarized towards the misgivings and the frustrations they face due to the fact of non-acceptance and no course towards resolving their concerns. On top of which the failure of their leadership seems to add to the notion but at the same time the indication that Muhajirs must stop calling them Muhajirs only whilst other ethnicities openly and proudly demonstrate their own identity is fueling the notion that there is a special course of action of Muhajirs only. By doing such the rhetoric of anti-state elements only gets solidified and nurtured.

Tens of Millions of Muhajirs living in Pakistan and especially in Sindh are loyal to Pakistan and its unity not under any duress but under the fact that their forefathers built the nation but I am sure when they see that they are being treated exceptionally under by the state and its institutions and further facing persecutions in their own course are fast becoming disenchanted and may not look politically charged with the sentiment but may rally if any collateral incident will ignite the need in our opinion. We are very sure that if not harnessed and not given its due representation with acceptance of the reality that Muhajir is the fifth major ethnic reality of Pakistan. We feel that the state of denial will or may ignite a negative irrecoverable course which may not see any anti state activity as the community is utmost loyal to Pakistan but the factor of distancing from nation’s issues may be an offshoot which coming from such an educated community will always be a nations loss.

The causal effect is that Karachi and urban Sindh will not see the kind of activity and development which serves of millions of Pakistanis belonging to other communities as well. The net result will be effect on Pakistan’s economy further. We may have already witnessed the marginal utility of returns effect on other centers which the state is propagating to promote. We have already seen the margins on returns from such centers already recede hence the economy grows slowly with a pace not corresponding to the money spent. We still feel that if resources are spent adequately on Karachi especially the Marginal returns will be much better and will provide higher yield on each dollar or rupee spent unlike in other parts of the country.

But unfortunately, we feel that sometimes it’s not being done due to both lack of political will or even states will be bearing the animosity it may have towards major representation and its leadership of the city.

Because of the above realization. We have identified that whilst we wait for a Messiah to come further for Muhajir community to make it relevant again and make it acceptable within the confines of Pakistan which we feel is the constitutional right of us especially when our forefathers have a significant contribution towards building of the nation.

We feel that the possibility of not getting adequate rights could be a causal factor of no confidence between the state and the political leadership of Muhajirs as currently present. We intend to bring a new class of educated, clean and refined leadership from Sindh Urban including of the Muhajirs as the main nomenclature and present them to the state for sit with them and iron out the issues and start developing Karachi and other Urban centers of Sindh. If the current set of leadership is a concern for their non-commitment. We will present a new face to the Muhajir leadership comprising of politically enabled, patriotic (with Pakistan) and qualified set of people whose intention would be only to build Sindh Urban to build a stronger Pakistan. Its time in our opinion that if there are any kind of misgivings at the end of the state. It should be addressed but again it can’t be unilateral. It has to be bilateral as we people of Karachi irrespective of any ethnicity and especially of Muhajir descent are tired of the turmoil. Whilst we will not accept enforced solutions but will expect the state to accept the clean, redefined, patriotic and qualified leadership coming out of the confines of Sindh Urban committed towards building a stronger from amongst the people and we will hope that the state will respect and let nurture such leadership in the thick political environment of the country and the city as we feel that they are allowing other forces to develop. We would hope earnestly that they let a new Muhajir Leadership develop.

Muttahida Pakistan Movement or MPM has the same vision that to establish such a political party in the country with its power base out of Sindh Urban  in line with the objectives as explained above. We aim to identify and gather people from the community with such attributes on the political sphere and enable them to lead Sindh Urban and Muhajirs especially in its true and meritorious perspective.

MPM aims to achieve the following in the short term:

–    Identify and Develop quality leadership

–    Works towards getting Muhajirs and other under privileged communities as the pillars for Pakistan with Muhajirs especially as the fifth major ethnicity like Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashtun and Baluch.

–    Identify and liaison with the state via an identified team towards building infrastructure projects targeting mainly education, healthcare, IT and transportation

–    Removal of any laws in the constitution which create deprivation amongst communities.

–    Amendment of constitution to allow provision of new provinces in Pakistan based on administrative measures.

–    Taking of measures within the community which corroborates with the security requirement of the nation and plays its part

–    Building of Muhajir community centers and Jirga’s to resolve issues as a single point in case of any confidence issues with the state.

–    Will work with the state to increase the intake of Muhajir youth into Pakistan Defense institutions to build the patriotic spirit inclusive of opening of a cadet college in Karachi.

–    Equal representation of all religious representations irrespective of caste and creed.

–    Building a community whose only objective to live with peaceful cohesion with the global communities and those within Pakistan.

The above are key short-term objectives of the party which aims to achieve these as we feel are critical to keep the nation building and united.

The question does arrive as to who leads the party. As of now it’s few young men of Muhajir diaspora who has formed this party living across the world including Pakistan. We intend to garner more such individuals and from within them identify the right leadership. Till that time all those part of the MPM are equal leaders though MPM is driven by a core committee working towards the aims and objectives, connectivity with Muhajir leadership across within and outside Pakistan.

We hope that with the right support and encouragement which we are getting from the community and people of Pakistan across various ethnicities we will be able to offer a robust, clean and a viable solution to the people of Pakistan as we envision Karachi to be a much stronger factor in Pakistan’s economy.

We have started on this journey and we hope to achieve a lot if allowed by patriotic forces of the country as the only winner in the end of all this would-be Pakistan.

Pakistan Zindabad!

Team Muttahida Pakistan Movement