KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which had been ruling Karachi undisputed since 1987 until recently, is now struggling to find a shelter for its political survival.

The party, which is now known as MQM-Pakistan, is passing through a phase it may never have thought of experiencing. Senior MQM-P leader Faisal Subzwari confirmed that the party is facing problems, saying usually people in the metropolis avoid renting out places to the party.

He urged Karachiites to rent places to the MQM-P and ‘defy’ any pressure in doing so. The politics of pressure in the port city needs to stop now, he asserted.

Despite months of efforts, the party has failed to rent a place to run its offices from Orangi Town, Landhi, Korangi and Gulshan-e-Iqbal, which were once in its complete control. The offices where sacrificial hides and fitra were collected.

The drastic change came after the August 22, 2016 inflammatory speech of its founder Altaf Hussain that led to the attacks on different television channels.

Hundreds of MQM’s unit office and sector offices were demolished, confining the party’s organisational network to PIB Colony and recently to Bahadurabad.

Lately, the party’s federal and provincial lawmakers have been trying to reopen offices in Korangi, Landhi, Shah Faisal colony, Malir, Gulshan, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Orangi, FB Area and Golimar.

Earlier, a report said the MQM-P had reopened its offices in Lines Area and Orangi, Karachi as its rift with the Pakistan Muslim-League (PML-N) began to heal in the wake of the former’s decision of not joining forces with Pakistan Awami Tehreek in its protest against the ruling party.