MQM-P plunged deeper into internal turmoil after a violent confrontation between rival factions at the party’s Bahadurabad headquarters in Karachi, intensifying a leadership dispute that has raised fresh concerns over the party’s future and organisational unity.

What had been months of simmering tensions between supporters of Mustafa Kamal and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui erupted into open violence on Sunday night, with aerial firing, stone-pelting and physical clashes leaving several workers injured. The unrest transformed the party’s central office into the focal point of an escalating power struggle.

Although calm largely returned on Monday, divisions within the party remained evident. Supporters and leaders aligned with Mustafa Kamal continued to maintain a presence at the Bahadurabad headquarters, while senior figures associated with Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stayed away from the premises.

More than 100 words into the unfolding political crisis, MQM-P faced another dramatic development when police briefly attempted to seal the party headquarters. New Town Station House Officer (SHO) Ghulam Hussain, accompanied by a police contingent, entered the office at around 4:00pm and attempted to lock the Rabita Committee office.

However, party workers and senior leaders demanded a written order authorising the move. MQM-P leaders Shabbir Qaimkhani and Member of the National Assembly Javed Hanif insisted that police present formal documentation before taking any action. According to party officials, police failed to produce the required order and later withdrew from the premises as more workers gathered outside.

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Later in the day, Mustafa Kamal, accompanied by Anees Qaimkhani and several party lawmakers, visited the headquarters, where supporters remained gathered for nearly two hours. Leaders associated with the Siddiqui faction were not present during the visit.

Shabbir Qaimkhani said efforts were underway to ease tensions between the rival groups, while Mustafa Kamal expressed confidence that the dispute could eventually be resolved, saying the differences were not beyond settlement.

Despite those public assurances, party sources said disagreements between both camps remain unresolved, with behind-the-scenes efforts continuing to prevent a further split within the party.

Meanwhile, law enforcement authorities expanded their investigation into Sunday’s violence. Police sources said a list containing more than 200 workers suspected of involvement in the clashes had been compiled, with arrests continuing in different parts of Karachi.

According to party insiders, the violence began when workers loyal to the Siddiqui faction were holding a meeting at the Bahadurabad headquarters before members of the Kamal group arrived to organise a separate gathering. The situation quickly escalated from slogan chanting to physical fighting, followed by aerial firing and stone-pelting that spread panic across the area and forced nearby businesses to shut down temporarily.

MQM-P leader Aminul Haq announced that organisational and legal action would be taken against those responsible for the violence. He alleged that members of the rival faction carried out heavy aerial firing, resulting in injuries to one party worker.

Haq also claimed that the party headquarters suffered damage during the clashes, alleging that CCTV cameras and the digital video recorder (DVR) system were removed from the building. He said recent events had made it impossible for party affairs to continue under the existing organisational structure.

Following the confrontation, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar and other senior leaders gathered at a nearby park, where supporters raised slogans before a planned late-night press conference by the Siddiqui faction was postponed.

At least three people were reported injured during the violence as police continue their investigation into the clashes while party leaders work to contain one of the most serious internal crises faced by MQM-P in recent years.