MQM-P will not quit federal govt, says Kamal

Claims Siddiqui's resignation was a result of internal power struggles

KARACHI: Days after Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) convenor Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui announced his decision to resign from the federal cabinet, Pak Sarzameen Party chairperson Mustafa Kamal said that the MQM-P would not quit the ruling coalition.

"These people [MQM-P leaders] are all actors. The drama with the people of Karachi must end," asserted Kamal, speaking to reporters after an accountability court hearing.

Stating that the MQM-P's corruption depended on its being in power, he said that all its leaders, including the MNAs, MPAs and the Karachi mayor, would end up in jail as soon as they left the government, since cases had already been prepared against them.

'MQM is not quitting govt for the sake of democracy'

Meanwhile, referring to Siddiqui's decision to resign from his ministry, Kamal said that he had been forced by internal party politics to take this step. He added that Amir Khan, the deputy convenor, had been involved in this, in order to hand over the ministry to Aminul Haque, another party leader.

He further commented that the MQM-P was wrong in carrying out this injustice against Siddiqui and rejecting his leadership, but added that even if the federal government's negotiations to keep the MQM-P in the coalition were successful, Siddiqui should still be removed from the ministry.

Kamal also expressed amusement at Farogh Naseem, another MQM-P leader, remaining as a federal minister, saying that pressure had been put on Siddiqui to resign instead of Naseem.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2020.