Babar Ghauri, Shamim quit Altaf-led MQM citing personal reasons
- By Web Desk -
- Dec 10, 2017
KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders Babar Ghauri and Shamim Siddiqui on Sunday announced to quit Altaf Hussain-led party.
Ghauri, former federal minister for port and shipping, said he has resigned from the party membership and didn’t intend to join any other group or party for the time being.
The reason behind his decision to quit the party as well as politics is purely personal, he clarified.
He said he had never been associated with the MQM-Pakistan. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement is one and that is London-based, he said and added it would have been better if MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) would have set aside their differences and merged into one.
Shamim Siddiqui said he was parting ways with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder because of his disagreements over party policy in the wake of Altaf Hussain’s anti-state speech on August 22, 2016.
On August 22 the same year, the MQM split into two factions with senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Farooq Sattar announcing that his party should operate from Pakistan alone, making it obvious to detach MQM’s Pakistan leaders from those in London.
The press conference was held a day after protesters, Muttahida Qaumi Movement workers, attacked the office of ARY News.
Sattar also categorically said that all the decisions will be made by party members in Pakistan, “what else do I need to say to elaborate the minus-one formula more”.
The press conference was held at KPC instead of MQM headquarters Nine Zero, which were sealed by the Rangers couple of days earlier.