Nadeem Nusrat refuses to accept minus-Altaf formula for MQM

Party's founder gave representation to Muhajirs and MQM is nothing without him, says the London-based leader

Weeks after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan had disassociated itself from party supremo Altaf Hussain, its London-based senior leader Nadeem Nusrat came up with a clarification, saying Altaf could not be separated from its affairs.

“No one can separate Muhajirs from Altaf Hussain. He gave representation to the Urdu-speaking community and MQM is nothing without him,” Nusrat said while addressing participants of an event in London organised to commemorate Altaf’s 63^rd birthday, according to a statement issued on Tuesday.

Nusrat’s remarks came weeks after the party’s Pakistan-based leadership distanced itself from Altaf and the London-based Rabita Committee.

The reaction was in response of a country-wide uproar and widespread condemnation of the party supremo’s anti-state and inflammatory speeches which instigated party activists to attack local media houses in Karachi. Soon after, MQM leaders disassociated themselves from Altaf, and also amended the party’s constitution, naming the party as ‘MQM-Pakistan’.



Later, Altaf formally handed over the party's control to its Rabita Committee. The statement, however, did not elaborate if it exclusively referred to the Rabita Committee in Karachi or also included its 10 members in the United Kingdom.

Scores of MQM offices have been razed or sealed and dozens of its workers and leaders have been taken into custody following Altaf’s anti-state remarks. Apart from the sector and unit offices, MQM headquarters Nine Zero, Khursheed Memorial Hall, MPA hostel and media cell also remain sealed by the law enforcers.