KARACHI: Four leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London (MQM- L) resigned from the party’s primary membership on Sunday citing personal reasons, causing another serious blow to Altaf Hussain who is being deserted by his companions after his anti-Pakistan outburst in August last year. The leaders who quit on Sunday are former ports and shipping minister Babar Ghauri, Shamim Siddiqui, Amber Khan and Dr Nadeem.
In his statement from US, Ghauri said that he was not joining any other political party.
In response to a question that whether he was resigning from MQM-L, he said, “There is only one MQM and that is in London.” He added that he has never been a part of the MQM that is working in Pakistan. He said that he was a member of the MQM-L and was now tendering his resignation.
Ghauri said it would have been better if MQM-P and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) set aside their differences and merged into one. Another important leader of MQM-L and former federal minister Shamim Siddiqi also announced his disassociation with the party on Sunday.
Siddiqi had been living in the United States for quite some time. “My basic disagreement with MQM-L was Altaf Hussain’s role during the August 22, 2016, incident when anti-Pakistan slogans were raised at a rally,” he said while announcing his decision.
Published in Daily Times, December 11th 2017.
