KARACHI:
The two factions of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) have moved further apart as political observers suggest that Mustafa Kamaml and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui led groups have now practically separated from each other.
However, senior party leader Anees Qaimkhani asserted that difference of opinion can emerge, but Muttahida stands united.
One faction of MQM-P led by Mustafa Kamal staged a rally in Liaquatabad on Saturday, while the other faction under Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui organised a meeting at the Governor House at the same time to demonstrate its political and parliamentary position.
The Bahadurabad group, led by MQM-P Chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, includes his strong allies Dr Farooq Sattar and the Governor of Sindh Kamran Tessori.
On the other side is Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal’s group, which includes Anees Qaimkhani along with workers and members of the assembly who were elected on the “kite” symbol of MQM Pakistan but are now aligned with the Mustafa Kamal camp.
The division within MQM-P has persisted for several months, with differences between Mustafa Kamal and the Bahadurabad group emerging soon after their merger in January 2023. Tensions escalated when former Pak Sarzameen Party workers reached the Bahadurabad headquarters and chanted slogans against the Sindh Governor and certain Bahadurabad leaders.
The rift deepened in February 2025 when Mustafa Kamal and Anees Qaimkhani left MQM-P’s official WhatsApp group and ceased political activities at the temporary Bahadurabad centre.
For over six months, leaders, workers, and lawmakers from both sides have been holding separate press conferences. Although neither faction has formally announced a split, both have expressed grievances against each other in off-the-record meetings.Anees Qaimkhani says he is a senior party leader and that MQM-P has launched a public protest and outreach campaign in Karachi against the Pakistan Peoples Party, which he claims has dominated the city for the past seventeen years and committed continuous injustices against its residents.
When asked about differences within Muttahida, Qaimkhani said that as political people, differences of opinion can arise anywhere, and they believe in resolving disagreements behind closed doors.
In response to a question about why Khalid Maqbool or Farooq Sattar were not present at his rally, he said the entire leadership could not gather in one place; some attended the Governor House programme while others joined the Liaquatabad rally.
MQM Pakistan leader Ameenul Haq stated that at the “Future of Karachi” program held at the Governor House, individuals from various walks of life came together to discuss the city’s issues and their solutions.
Another MQM-P leader said that the Liaquatabad rally was actually a PSP event and had no connection to MQM.
Sources say one of the key reasons behind the rift between the two MQM factions is the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). Following the Gul Plaza tragedy, the Mustafa Kamal group had planned a protest in Karachi against the PPP on January 31. However, Bahadurabad group leader Farooq Sattar travelled to Islamabad and, after meeting PPP leaders and intermediaries, the protest was called off. The differences between the factions are now fully visible, but party workers appear to be the worst affected. Many workers regard both Anees Qaimkhani and Khalid Maqbool as their leaders, leaving them caught in the middle of the dispute.
Recently, workers from Malir Town handed over the keys of their unit and sector offices to Khalid Maqbool, reflecting internal uncertainty. They were also unclear whether to participate in the Liaquatabad rally or stay away.
Karachi’s 31 towns, formerly known as sectors, report to the Central Organising Committee (COC). Workers across these towns say the divide has filtered down from the leadership to the grassroots, with some aligning with Anees Qaimkhani and others with Khalid Maqbool. A worker from North Nazimabad Town urged leaders to resolve their disputes or formally separate, allowing workers to decide whom to follow.
