Is PML-N paving way to bring back MQM founder Altaf Hussain to politics?

The calls for bringing back Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder Altaf Hussain have increased on social media which raised questions about whether the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) decided to pave the way for the self-exiled politician to return to the country.

An organised campaign is witnessed on social media to raise calls for bringing back Altaf Hussain to the political picture of Pakistan. Several pro-government journalists had also tweeted and demanded the return of Altaf Hussain earlier.

A recent tweet from a netizen claiming to be a PML-N worker wrote on Twitter, “Stay strong Altaf Hussain. We will welcome you back. Love from Punjab.”

He commented on Dunya News journalist Azhar Javiad’s tweet in which he said that if the new army chief is going to assume charge and the institution decides to remain apolitical then it is an appropriate time to lift the ban on the most popular personality of Karachi and urban Sindh, Altaf Hussain, to grant rights to the Muhajir nation and the founders of Pakistan.

Stay strong altaf Bhai ..@AltafHussain_90 .. we welcome you back …love from Punjab…! https://t.co/odCSDqhRVs

— Atif Awan (@Atiflostsoul) November 20, 2022

However, ARY News senior journalist Faizullah Khan highlighted that Hussain was probably not the most popular politician in Pakistan, neither among muhajirs nor in Karachi.

Khan said that Altaf Hussain is definitely facing a ban on political activities but nobody can restrict his social media. He added that the Twitter followers and Facebook views of the MQM founder are quite low.

Faizullah Khan added that Karachi is a mega city comprising educated social media users while there are a large number of Muhajir across the world but how can Hussain justify his popularity with very low followership on his social media platforms?

ایم کیو ایم کے بانی الطاف حسین کے ٹوئیٹر فالورز فیس بک پہ ویوز تشویشناک حد تک کم ہیں بلاشبہ انکی سیاسی سرگرمیوں پہ پابندی ہے مگر سوشل میڈیا پہ کوئی پابندی نہیں لگا سکتا کراچی پڑھا لکھا سوشل میڈیا استعمال کرنیوالا بڑا شہر ہے پھر دنیا بھر میں مہاجر موجود ہیں یہ کمی حیرت انگیز ہے pic.twitter.com/yMrgqcbVQl

— Faizullah Khan فیض (@FaizullahSwati) November 21, 2022

Two weeks ago, News360 reported that two London-based pro-government journalists, Azhar Javaid and Murtaza Ali Shah were found running a campaign for Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain’s return to national politics.

Dunya News Bureau Chief UK Azhar Javaid posted a series of tweets on November 5 and 7 in which he was demanding for lifting a ban on the speeches of MQM Founder Altaf Hussain just like the government ended up the ban on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s speeches.

They also questioned whether they raised their demands for lifting the ban on the MQM founder at the request of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and what political benefits they want to get from the moves.

Analysts also raised suspicions that PML-N is apparently holding backdoor talks with the MQM founder to form a strong coalition to challenge the popular political party PTI in Karachi and urban Sindh.