Statements made by PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto — at the PPP rally in Karachi — criticising MQM chief Altaf Hussain prompted the Muttahida to quit the PPP-led coalition government.
Bilawal had also said Altaf and his party were responsible for ruining Karachi.
Earlier in the day, MQM lawmakers had submitted their resignations to Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan.
The resignations were submitted under the leadership of senior MQM lawmakers Faisal Subzwari and Syed Sardar Ahmed to the Sindh governor at the Governor House, according to our correspondent Hafeez Tunio.
A meeting with the Sindh Assembly speaker has commenced in which MQM representatives are present.
Further, the MQM also submitted a separate application to the Sindh Assembly requesting the allotment of seats in the opposition bench.
Subzwari, while addressing the media, said, "We did not give any strong statement, but the MQM has faced enough verbal abuse."
He also addressed the issues of Karachi, saying, "Karachi is a city which faces significant problems, and the PPP has been unsuccessful in eliminating them."
"The MQM had decided to join the Sindh government because urban areas were being ignored. When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto started the quota system, the ratio of the urban and rural widened," Subzwari said in criticism of the PPP.
Khawaja Izharul Hassan of the MQM said, "The MQM has faith in negotiations. If we come into the government by winning the elections, we will only serve our people."
"Local elections have never taken place in the history of PPP," Hassan said while addressing the media.
The MQM on Sunday quit the Pakistan Peoples Party-led coalition government in Sindh in protest of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s ‘unsavoury remarks’ about its chief Altaf Hussain at Saturday’s rally.
Sindh CM responds to MQM's reaction
Responding to MQM’s criticism, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, while addressing the Sindh Assembly, spoke of his government’s achievements and said the provincial government is the first one to arrest militants.
“In Karachi over 250 PPP workers were killed, who killed them?” Shah questioned.
“We want Sindh to develop and there should be no differences or divisions in the province.”
Further, he questioned how many people have been inducted in the KMC and Karachi Water and Sewerage Board in a veiled allegation to MQM’s corruption.
“Our chairman even spoke of reconciliation to join hands and serve the nation,” the chief minister said, referring to PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s speech which offended MQM workers.
MQM criticises PPP leaders' speeches
Muttahida leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan announced that his party has officially parted ways with the Pakistan Peoples party.
“We have requested the speaker to allot us seats on the opposition benches,” he said, while addressing the media in Karachi after walking out from the Sindh Assembly session.
Censuring PPP leaders' speeches in the assembly, Hasan said, “The leaders did not respond to the issues raised by us and only spoke about the money they have spent on projects.”
“The chief minister should not talk about money spent on the projects but rather tell us where the projects are,” he said, adding, “No one in Sindh can see any development projects.”
Reiterating that they never spoke of the division of Sindh, Hasan said MQM chief Altaf Hussain has advised that administrative units should be made all over Pakistan.
The MQM leader reaffirmed the party’s support to the police and Rangers in the Karachi operation.
In response to Sindh CM Qaim Ali Shah’s claim that 250 PPP workers have been killed in Karachi, Hasan pointed out, “PPP workers’ killings is the CM’s fault; he is responsible for home affairs.”
“Three sitting MPAs of the MQM have also been killed in CM Sindh’s tenure,” Hasan further said.
The party leader lashed out at Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, who said, in a veiled reference to the MQM, that some party members were responsible for supporting target killers. Hasan said that Memon was in fact responsible for making gangs and distributing weapons.
COMMENTS (15)
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MQM law makers submit resignation to MQM governor. Does anyone see the irony? MQM man still at the helm of affair(continuously for last 13 yrs),so what are they really whining about?
When Governor Sindh is going to resign?
@MAK:
Resignation was submitted alongwith one additional document wherein new portfolio for MQM ministers have been demanded after re-entry in sindh govt in forseeable future.
Wow! This building lives an impression that country is super rich and everyone is well off.. Utter non-sense!!!! And waste of people's money....one seat from this hall could build house for homeless and feed a family for months....go corrupt go... Go wadyraism go
Apart from everything else, the new Sindh Assembly hall is most beautiful of all assemblies. Hope they stand out in governance as well.
@Dr Khan: Wrong sir, best offer is PTI takes back the resignations in Federal Assembly and alongwith PTI, MQM and independents a new opposition leader can be chosen like Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed
"Statements made by PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto — at the PPP rally in Karachi — criticising MQM chief Altaf Hussain prompted the MQM to quit the PPP-led coalition government."
Please refer as Bilawal Zardari not Bilawal Bhutto...
@Dr Khan: That would be in the best interest of the country.
If MQM is really serious in playing its role as a major political party of this country than they need go futher and give resignation from their assembly seats.After their resignation Nawaz Shareef will have no option but to call for mid term polls..Present political un-rest in the country can only settle once new elections are announced and are held under a new powerful election commission.Both PPP and PMLN are status quo parties and not interested in improving the system, because present corrupt sytem with no accountability suits both these parties .
Good decision, just stick to it.
Resignation was submitted alongwith one additional document wherein new portfolio for MQM ministers have been demanded after re-entry in sindh govt in forseeable future.
I feel the political dialogue from all sides is becoming very un-parliamentary and some strong words are being used.PTI/PAT lead the list
I hope you wont backtrack with this decision too!
Fish without water and MQM without government can not survive.
"The resingations were submitted under the leadership of senior MQM lawmakers Faisal Sabzwari and Syed Sardar Ahmed to the Sindh governor at the Governor House, according to our correspondent Hafeez Tunio."
Kindly correct spelling it's a typo error (RESINGNATION)