Farooq Sattar rebuffs Khalid Maqbool’s deadline to assume charge

KARACHI: Muttahida Quami Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) chief Farooq Sattar on Tuesday rebuffed an offer by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui to take reign of the party’s coordination committee, calling him a ceremonial leader who holds no real authority.

Siddiqui, who heads the Bahadurabad faction of the MQM, had extended an olive branch to the disgruntled party leader to set aside differences and assume charge as party convener. However, he sent a deadline to assume the responsibilities or else Sattar’s role would be of an ordinary party worker.

However, Sattar rebuked the Bahadurabad faction for not having any authority to issue a deadline to him, and the rather disrespectful manner in which it was given. “The issue with Bahadurabad (faction) is that their convenor is powerless. If the offer was made with an open heart then I would have accepted it,” he said.

Sattar said the coordination committee deserved due respect, and that the Bahadurabad faction should decide to resolve the issue either through the courts or mutual consultation. “I suggest to dissolve both rabita committees, and restart our work together,” he added.

READ MORE: Khalid Maqbool holds out olive branch to Sattar, offers MQM-P convenership

He further said that Siddiqui’s offer was not sarcastic but rather contradictory, and several important facts were not disclosed. He revealed that Siddiqui had agreed to resolve all issues, but the next day came with a deputy convenor.

He also disclosed that he has offered to step down from the party leadership in November last year and let Amir Khan take control. He admitted that mistakes were made in the past, and a leader should apologise or has no right to be party leader.

The MQM-P has been embroiled in a tug-of-war over party leadership and is fraught with an internal rift leading to several members to part ways. Recently, the Election Commission of Party has removed Sattar as party leader, which was stayed by the Islamabad High Court.