The days of YAC and PRAC are over, the days of COP have begun.
For those of you who were following the Youth Advisory Council (around 3000 members) and Professionals Research Advisory Council (around 6000 members) and if you haven’t realized than do note that both organizations have been dissolved by the Rabbita Committee.
The Youth Advisory Council in its almost two years of existence has very little to show and will soon be forgotten if they haven’t been forgotten. There objective to target the 2% as MQM covers the 98% was never reached and because of lack of activity they were shut-down. This is of course mere speculation as there official statement is they were merged with PRAC to form COP which is known as Council of Professionals.
Professionals Research Advisory Council were the bigger ones with comments, statements on every topic in Pakistan from the army to the mullahs to the rights of women, although they had a lot of energy they at most times wasted that energy in engaging in online wars with rival political parties on who is the best. They also changed sides as they pleased in order to prove there point, in one case when Zaid Hamid spoke against other political parties, the PRACers as they like to call themselves were posting his videos all over, now there against him because he isn’t making statements that they can use. I’ll talk about Zaid Hamid another day. PRAC was dissolved and the official line is that they will merge with YAC to make COP.
Since this is a blog and its my blog I am entitled to my perception. I think both organizations had there plus points and there negative points and the sudden closure of both groups to form COP was and still is a rash decision. The announcement was made from one day to another with no prior notification, discussion or debate with the members as a whole to get there opinion as what went wrong and what could have been to avoid the bad decisions. Now in the midst of almost 9000 members shared between those two group from all around the world they wake up to find out that they now have to join COP. This is probably the worst re-branding or re-launching strategy I have ever seen. I have never quite understood the fascination of MQM with naming there organizations as advisory or professionals, but I suppose thats what happens when you don’t talk directly to your target market. If you want to go after the 2% than rest assured that having advisory or professionals in your name is not going to lure them from there mansions into the arms of MQM.
In order for MQM to penetrate the affluent areas they need to sit down with young socials who have no real interest in politics or MQM and get there feedback. Organize a committee of local and international Pakistanis in within the 2% and ask them what type of organization should be formed and what the organization should do. Don’t thrust down protocols and procedures, like address each male member by there first name and add bhai, i.e. Asif ”bhai” or when speaking about multiple MQM workers call them “saathi”. Let them set the agenda, let them focus on education, career development, information analysis, building international relations and so and so on. Don’t let them engage in political issues or defend the image of certain people or promote MQM.
Because MQM never took YAC or PRAC very seriously, all those two groups really ended up with and again this is a generalization were MQM activists who would on a regular basis cry out Altaf Hussain’s name and scream “G A MQM” at every opportunity.
The silent majority in Karachi specifically look up to MQM to deliver results and to improve lives and if MQM can’t come up with a way to reach out to them than they will always remain the silent majority.
Its been a week since the formation of Council of Professionals and nothing has been announced, the formation of Council of Professionals should have been pre-planed with clear-cut objectives and a respectable team, however its clear that COP is the retirement home for YAC and PRAC and not much can be expected from this new organization.