MQM Strives to Be More Active in SF Bay Area
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
The Muttaheda Qaumi Movement (MQM), which emerged as the fourth largest party in the National Assembly in the May 11 elections, plans to energize its San Francisco chapter, says Tauseef Khan, member of the MQM Central Organizing Committee in the USA.
The MQM captured 17 seats in the National Assembly while the Pakistan People's Party got 32 seats and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Istaqlal captured 31 seats. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Sharif Group is the largest party with 125 seats. In its native province, Sindh, the MQM was the second largest party with 31 seats while the PPP got 69 seats.
The MQM San Francisco Chapter is currently headed by Sabahat Ashraf, a well- known personality of the Bay Area.
Tauseef Khan said that the MQM, with its 24 chapters, is registered in the United States under The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). It was the first Pakistani political party to be registered under FARA.
He said that the MQM USA holds an annual convention every year which is attended by delegates from all over the USA. Members from the MQM Central Coordination Committee are invited to the convention. This year's convention will be held from June 28 to 29 in Atlanta.
Junaid Fehmi from Chicago is the Central Organizer in USA and he is assisted by two joint organizers: Mohammad Arshad from New Jersey and Nadeem Siddiqui from Atlanta. The Central Organizing Committee is elected for a period of three years. Its last elections were held in 2011.
Tauseef Khan said that currently the MQM's Los Angeles Chapter is very active. Pakistan Club is the social activities wing of the MQM which holds social events such as Haleem Parties. He said that the MQM LA also has a literary wing known as Gehwara-e-Adab which sponsors the Indo-Pakistan Mushaera. In Chicago, the MQM is establishing an Urdu library to promote the Urdu language.
Tauseef Khan hopes to see the MQM San Francisco Chapter as active as the LA Chapter.
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