Karachi: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan senior Deputy Convener Mustafa Kamal confirmed that audio leak circulating on social media was indeed his but insisted that there is nothing new about his party’s rivals claiming that their mandate is fake.

“An audio attributed to me has gone viral on social media. I endorse it,” Kamal, who served as Karachi’s mayor and was elected as an MNA in general elections, said in short video statement. In leaked audio clip, Kamal started by explaining to his party’s Rabita Committee about situation that took place when an MQM-P delegation went to meet Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders. MQM-P and PML-N are holding negotiations on government formation at Centre, with several rounds of talks already taking place in lead-up to National Assembly session.

“We were called late at night to meet PML-N people. It felt like, they were not in mood of meeting us,” Kamal was heard in audio as saying. He said that PML-N delegation told their MQM-P counterparts that after this meeting, they also had to meet PPP’s leadership. At this, MQM-P leaders asked what was agreement so far. To this, they were told that discussions were confidential. “But they told us two things-PPP is saying that MQM-P’s mandate is 100 percent fake. Second is that PPP’s claiming that PML-N and PPP have complete numbers [for government formation], so MQM-P should be sidelined.” In an explanation of video later on, Kamal said that audio was authentic and he was informing his party members on Sunday, about meetings that took place with PML-N. “All of you know that Peoples Party is saying this publicly on TV. We are saying as well that their mandate is fake and vice versa. There is no news here,” top MQM-P leader said.

He added, “Important point” in all of this was that this was meeting of Rabita Committee. “For several days, we suspected that some people belonging to MQM-London were amongst our rank and file and they are working for them.” Kamal added that after thorough forensic of audio, we got confirmation about who exactly leaked that audio. “This was released by member of MQM-London.”

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 29 2024

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