MQM leader Rashid Godil attacked, sustained serious injuries

After his initial reluctance Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has finally agreed to meet Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders at their party headquarters on Tuesday.

According to some reports, the JUI-F chief was reluctant to go to the party’s headquarters for negotiations and was insisting on meeting at a neutral place – preferably the government’s guest house.

Talking to reporters after his arrival in Karachi, the cleric said he was optimistic that the MQM lawmaker would take their resignations back. After the talks, Rehman said the discussions would continue and that he had received a “positive response” from MQM.

In order to resolve the political crisis which arose after the resignations of MQM members, the JUI-F chief reached Karachi today to hold talks with MQM leaders.

Godil was rushed to a Liaquat National Hospital where his condition is said to be critical, hospital sources said.

MQM is headed by Altaf Hussain, who has been living in self-imposed exile in London since early 1990s. The Maulana also said that the operation in Karachi should be “impartial”, adding that MQM’s reservations should be removed.

Fazl has already succeeded in breaking the ice between the MQM and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N by bringing the former to the dialogue table without any strings attached.

MQM initially claimed to represent the Urdu-speaking migrants who moved to Pakistan with the partition of India in 1947 and has strong influence in southern Sindh province but has been accused of operating like an organized gang through its alleged use of violence and intimidation.