MQM to take back resignations if ‘reservations addressed’

The MQM members created a rumpus in the house to protest and reject the joint resolution that subjected their leader to condemnation.

Last month, Mr Siddiqui, along with another MQM leader, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, had obtained protective bail before arrest in seven criminal cases lodged against them for arranging and listening to party head Altaf Hussain’s speech against the military.

The MQM, according to the sources, is of the view that their voice is not being heard on any government forum, therefore, the party is left with no other option but to resign from the national and provincial assemblies and Senate.

He further added that MQM’s game is over now. The PPP’s Nisar Khuhro while addressing the press outside the Sindh Assembly said the party also supported the resolutions moved by the PTI, PML-F and PML-N. “Any attack on Sindh is like an attack on the entire country…”

Earlier, MQM members in Sindh Assembly submitted their resignations to the Speaker Sindh assembly in Karachi.

Ruling Pakistan Peoples Party also joined three opposition parties – the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, PML-Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) – in condemning the beleaguered MQM chief and demanding that the federal government initiate a legal action against him.

The resolution condemned Altaf Hussain’s controversial speech in which he had sought the deployment of UN and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation troops in Karachi and taunted India for not intervening to help “end bloodshed of Mohajirs”.

“There may be no doubts in the resignations being genuine but nothing can be said about whether or not the members submitted them voluntarily”, said a statement from the ministry. He said the texts of those were also not read to MQM lawmakers and the passage of such resolutions was purposely one-sided and after the passage of such resolutions, the session was adjourned until Monday.