MQM-P leader thinks that Pakistan is at a critical juncture where the country has to decide between “lose or choose”. The fear apprehension comes at a time when the political crisis has converted into judicial crisis.

“I think we are in deep waters [pani tou khatrey k nishan sey upar agaya hai]. We are returning to a point of no return from a closed street. If this happened then politicians should not blame anyone,” he said at Shaukat Paracha show Rubaroo on Friday.

He was responding to a query pertaining to fears that the country was again entering a 1997 crisis when supporters of PML-N had stormed the apex court, forcing Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah to remove the finding of contempt against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

This time, many fear that the PTI’s supporters may take to the streets if the decision on the election delay was not in their favour.

The PTI approached the Supreme Court when the Election Commission of Pakistan decided to postpone the election to the Punjab Assembly from April 30 to October 8. The Imran Khan-led party believes the country’s top electoral authority has violated the SC ruling by delaying the polls.

But the situation got tense when Parliament passed a new law to curtail the powers of the Supreme Court’s chief justice. The new draft law, which has been sent to the president for assent, has cut down the chief justice’s powers to constitute panels, hear appeals or assign cases to judges in his team, according to a copy of the bill.

Maqbool, who was also part of the PTI government, lamented that what would be the solution if all the pillars of the state were up against each other? He claimed that there was intentional ambiguity in the Constitution just for the powerful sectors to interpret it for themselves.

When asked about CJP Umar Ata Bandial’s suggestion of talks between the government and the opposition, he welcomed it. “We should sit [for talks] or else someone else will ask us to sit.”

According to the MQM leader, all parties could come up with a solution if they agree to field their workers in elections and minus money from the polls.

“A compromise of justice will not give us anything,” he said in reply to a query from the host while quoting the CJP that “Monday’s sun will bring good news”.

He went on to ask who was afraid of the full court and why despite the fact the majority was calling for such a demand. Maqbool added that the court should share if there was any problem in meeting such a demand.

“Elections should be held immediately. But first, it should be ensured that elections should be held fairly,” he added.

Do you want to count the people of Karachi?

Maqbool also shared details of his recent meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“I went to the PM with one agenda. Do you not want to count the people of Karachi?” he said, adding that more than 25 million CNICs have been issued from here the mega city.

He claimed that as per experts and indicators Karachi’s population was more than 30 million, lamenting that the 47% census so far conducted in Sindh’s capital showed a population of 8.4 million.

The MQM leader lamented that every government over the years have disenfranchised the people of the cities of Sindh and those who migrated to the province.

“In every government, our demand is the same which is count us correctly. Can the population of the city could be 15 million where wheat is brought for around 35 million people,” he said.

He was of the view that proper counting of Karachi was necessary as the city earns 60% to 70% of revenue for the country. “Karachi is ready to take responsibility. IMF is not doing anything with Pakistan. You should talk with Karachi and the urban areas of Sindh and sign an agreement. We will give you a guarantee to run everything. We are ready,” Maqbool said.