Saleem Shahzad announces forming new party
 

KARACHI: Apparently after failing to land an attractive offer from his former colleagues, ex-Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader, Saleem Shahzad, has announced to form his own party and partake in the upcoming general elections.
Shahzad announced the plan while talking to journalists at the city courts after attending the hearing of a case against him.
Shahzad said his party would also field candidates in other constituencies of the city. Saying ? his doors will be open for everyone,? he however cautioned ?there will be no one in the party with a criminal background including china cutting and targeted killings or those who have now been dry cleaned,? he said, hitting at his former colleagues with Farooq Sattar-led Muttahida Qaumi Movement ? Pakistan and Mustafa Kamal?led Pak Sarzameen Party.
He also announced to hold a public gathering of his party, which is yet to be formally made and named, in Orangi Town on December 16 and participate in the upcoming polls from a constituency in the same area.
A week after the MQM founder speech that stirred a hornet's nest in Pakistan, Shahzad announced to return to Pakistan to strengthen the MQM's breakaway faction, MQM Pakistan, led by party leader Farooq Sattar. Considered close to the party founder, he returned to the country in February this year, ending his two-decade-long self-imposed exile. He was arrested upon his arrival at the Karachi airport following issuance of anti-terrorism court warrants in a terror facilitation case.
Shahzad is accused of asking former petroleum minister Dr Asim to provide shelter and hideouts to suspected terrorists injured in shootout with the law enforcement agencies at the Ziauddin Hospitals.
Shahzad, however, pleads "not guilty" to the charges. Alongside Shahzad, the warrants were also issued against PPP's Abdul Qadir Patel and Anees Qaimkhani, who is now a leader of the Pak Sarzameen Party.
Besides, terrorism facilitation charges, Shahzad faces at least four cases pertaining to rioting, kidnapping and others registered in early 1990s.
Referring to the MQM splinter groups, he said he is not willing to join any political party. "I need a platform of my own," he added.
Earlier in October, Shahzad along with chairperson Muhajir Ittehad Tehreek Saleem Haider, had announced to hold a convention aimed at uniting the Muhajir-centric political parties to avoid their vote bank from split. Shahzad had claimed that Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) and MQM Pakistan led by Dr Farooq Sattar would soon join hands. The dates of the convention were not announced, however, it was scheduled after the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA).http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/com/cwEr/~4/kv7q_8nf5Bg

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