Exit from coalition no 'topi drama': Faisal Sabzwari

Sindh governor leaves Pakistan for Dubai and London.

ISLAMABAD: MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari has said that his party's exit from the ruling coalition in Sindh is no 'topi drama,' Express News reported on Friday. 

The MQM leader made these remarks while talking to the media after his party filed the application forms that nominated Syed Sardar Ahmed for the post of opposition leader in the provincial legislature.

Earlier, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) staged a walk out of the National Assembly on Friday protesting against the provincial government’s decision to repeal the Sindh Peoples Local Government Act 2012 (SPLGA).

The Act was repealed by the Sindh Provincial Assembly earlier in the week.

In other developments, MQM submitted an application nominating Syed Sardar Ahmed for the post of opposition leader in the Sindh Assembly on Friday.

Resignations of the MQM leaders have not been accepted as of yet.

On Friday The governor of Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, on instructions from MQM head Altaf Hussain, departed Pakistan for  Dubai and will be in London soon to discuss the current situation with the MQM chief.

Senior MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari said that the submitted resignations were not a “drama” by MQM and that they should be accepted promptly.

On February 17, the MQM's Deputy Convener Dr Farooq Sattar announced MQM's exit from the ruling coalition in a media briefing, following which the party submitted applications on Monday for sitting on the opposition seats in the Sindh assembly.

The MQM's decisions followed the tabling of a notification in the assembly by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led provincial government about withdrawing target killing and murder cases that involved gangsters based in the PPP stronghold of Lyari. The repealing of the SPLGA further added tension to the situation.The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) members staged an in-house protest after the law minister made the announcement.