Pakistan

MQM has no link with Altaf Hussain, says Farooq Sattar

Statement comes after speculations were rife that MQM supremo will keep leading the party from his London secretariat

News Desk August 27, 2016

Dr Farooq Sattar. PHOTO: AFP

Muttahida Qaumi Movement senior leader Farooq Sattar has announced that there be a complete disconnect with Altaf Hussain from now on.

"There will be now a complete disconnect with Altaf Hussain. We have no links with Altaf Hussain. It should be clear to all now," said a vocal Sattar during a press conference in Karachi on Saturday.

His statement comes after speculations were made that the MQM supremo will keep leading the party from his London secretariat.

"If even after this announcement TV talk shows keep speculating on this matter, the leaders from MQM Pakistan will not go to any programme," Sattar added.

Meeting in Karachi : MQM leaders resolve to save party, workers

The deputy convener went on to say that the party in Pakistan has completely delinked MQM Pakistan from the London secretariat.

“No one has the right to question our sincerity now,” the furious MQM leader said while talking to the media.

He lamented that the offices of MQM are being raided and demolished despite their act of distancing themselves from the 'former' supremo.

Naming some of the offices of the party, Sattar said these were built on legal land and that they had literacy centres in them.

The MQM leader asked if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would take notice of the offices being razed.
He went on to say that when the elected Karachi mayor Wasim Akhtar will take oath on August 30, he will at the outset vow to demolish illegal construction. “And the demolition will start with destruction of MQM’s illegal offices.”

Altaf Hussain posters taken down in MQM's Karachi stronghold

Sattar demanded that MQM headquarters Nine-Zero be opened and uncalled for detainment of their female workers is stopped once and for all.

A visibly angered Khawaja Izharul Hassan questioned that if women were ever arrested in the country's history and remanded in police custody, referring to the arrest of party workers allegedly responsible for attacking media offices on Monday in Karachi after the party supremo's speech

“I request Maryam Nawaz to recall that your father was also taken into custody but your family’s women were not sent behind the bars. I appeal you to please get our women freed,” Hassan added.

He urged Asefa Bhutto Zardari to take notice of the issue as her mother, Benazir Bhutto, was also jailed extra-judicially.

COMMENTS (20)

Naeem Khan | 8 years ago | Reply I will bet that majority of MQM members are as patriotic as any other Pakistani but their leadership allegiance to the State of Pakistan is very much in question. There is no credibility in Sattar's statement. Dissolve the party or resign en mass, then we will believe you.

Foxtrot | 8 years ago | Reply Waiting for the moment when TTP guys pop up in a press conference just to denounce and disavow themselves from Mullah Fazalullah, hoping that their bases in NWA be given back.

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Raisani | 8 years ago | Reply @Hidustani in the veil of Pakistani: And what do u say about those thousands of innocent people who were killed on streets of Karachi by this Mafia? What were those people who used be abused and manhandled by these criminals everyday? What about that Bhatta? Badmashi? bring people forcibly specially the shopkeepers, pedestrians etc for Altaf's speech? What about getting Fitra from non-Muslims? What about snatching animal skins on gun point? What do u say about all those crimes? Can u justify?

Alter Ego | 8 years ago | Reply Every action has an equal but opposite reaction. You attack the buildings , you insult the country that feeds you clothes , supports your lavish london lifestyle. You get whats coming to you. Women or not , they are taking a page out of IK book whose women proudly attacked government institutions and took full advantage of their gender card. Persecute them to the fullest extent of the law.

Rustam | 8 years ago | Reply @Pakistani: - What about murder squads of MQM? No advice for them?

Sohaib | 8 years ago | Reply Too little too late Mr. Sattar. People might have believed you if you said that 10 years ago when Altaf was in India bad mouthing Pakistan but now when realize that you are on the wrong side of the tracks you are saying things to save your own skin.

bash gul | 8 years ago | Reply The terrorist myth of mqm has been smashed. First they sent their workers, both males and females to destroy the office of a private channel.now they want those women, who could clearly be seen on the screens with sticks damaging property, be released. They are appealing to Asifa Bhutto, what a joke. Those workers both male and female, were given jobs by the MQM and have to do anything that is ordered from nine-zero. They are still not to be trusted. They just want a temporary reprieve. Still no clear cut statements about condemning or abandoning they supremo from the UK. They have left many grey areas.The people of Karachi, especially the ever loving patriotic Urdu speaking people are fed up with the bla bla from London. No one should be pardoned. They should be sentenced.

Good Insight | 8 years ago | Reply @M.A: Spot on. Really, the educated Urdu-speaking people have been hijacked by MQM and they have lost their educational moorings. MQM should voluntarily disband itself and the non-violent and non-criminals should form a new political party as gimmicks won't succeed in fooling anyone.

Ih | 8 years ago | Reply Looks like Farooq Sattar is only interested in status quo. He should go to Court let Supreme Court decide what is within frame of constitution. That is the pinciple function of constitutional courts. Government should also show that charges against leaders of Mqm are valid. What is everybody afraid of?

Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply Hazrat Ali (A.S.)saying "To oppress the weak is the worst tyranny". Ranger should fear from Allah.

M.A | 8 years ago | Reply I am a Urdu speaking loyal citizen of Pakistan. I have always abhorred mqm as long as I can remember. Yes , Urdu speakings were unfortunately racially discriminated by those with power, but this is no excuse to indulge in criminal activities.mqm has not only brought bad name to the peace loving Urdu speakers, they are also very much responsible for destroying the Urdu speaker youth (mostly lower middle class) . I think it was created to destabilize pakistan, Foreign agencies did well to destroy the most educated group of people of the country...

hassan khawri | 8 years ago | Reply He (Farooq Sattar) wants to save his skin, so he is talking all this rubbish. Altaf Hussain is still your boss, by saying MQM has no connection with Altaf Hussian is not enough. Dissolve MQM and Establish New Party or join with some like minded party.

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply When Altaf was abusing ( mild word ) Pakistan, Farook Sattar sat and listened.....he could have disagreed with Altaf, but he did not. His credibility is very much in question.

sterry | 8 years ago | Reply @ibs: I remember seeing the Indian movie Bandit Queen. It seems that these MQM were taking a lesson from a movie from their Indian homeland about women breaking laws!

Danda peer | 8 years ago | Reply @Amit kasana the first priority should be to free the IOK from Indian brutalities.

khilari | 8 years ago | Reply What muhajir and for how long? Anybody born in Pakistan is a Pakistani. Self pity is not a commendable thing. Even after 70 years,if you can't call yourself Pakistani then leave for the Land where you are not a muhajir.

Raisani | 8 years ago | Reply We won't believe you Farooq Sattar until you say "jo Pakistan ka ghadaar hai woh mout ka haqdar hai" Pakistan Zindabad!

Pakistan | 8 years ago | Reply Farooq Sattar has zero credibility and a pathetic disposition. His timidity is his undoing. He can never survive without a chaperon.

ibs | 8 years ago | Reply The said women can be seen attacking the offices! How can you let them go just on the basis of their gender?

Rizwan | 8 years ago | Reply It's quite the vicious backlash from TPTB. I think it's gameover for MQM now.

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