Pakistan

Reshaping MQM: Altaf suspends Rabita Committee

Decision on London body likely in a day or two

Our Correspondent July 25, 2015

MQM chief Altaf Hussain. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: Barring three members, the entire Karachi Rabita (coordination) Committee of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was suspended on Saturday, because the body has been “unable to effectively perform its responsibilities despite several assurances”.

Kaiful Warah, Abdul Haseeb and Arif Khan Advocate have been spared, while the rest of the committee has been advised against showing up at the party headquarters Nine Zero.

An MQM source said party chief Altaf Hussain was annoyed with the members’ tardiness and inadequate duty hours. “They were warned three days ago.”

Altaf said in a statement that a decision on the party’s corresponding policymaking body in London was expected in a day or two.

Meanwhile, senior Karachi workers from the party’s sectors and zones who feel they could become a part of the new Rabita Committee have been instructed to send in their details to Nine Zero.

Plea for inquiry

In another statement, Altaf requested army chief Gen Raheel Sharif to order an inquiry into allegations levelled against the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

“I hope you [Gen Raheel] will order an impartial inquiry into the federal ministers’ allegations against two former ISI chiefs,” said the MQM chief.

Recapping on the allegations, he said the ministers had claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) sit-in in Islamabad last year was planned by former ISI chiefs Lt Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha and Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam, who arranged funds for the protest through the corporate sector.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (1)

Flanker | 9 years ago | Reply Everyone in Karachi knows that the real reason behind sacking of the whole committee was the dramatic drop in party chanda (think bhatta!) collection during Eid due to rangers operation. Furthermore due to FIA scrutiny in Pakistan and Scotland yard’s investigation in UK; Rabita committee could not send money to party headquarter in UK and other important people (think target killers) who have been sent to South Africa, Bangkok and Hong Kong. But Bhai did not accept these excuses. Lack of money hurts him and the whole operation of MQM. It reduces his hold on the party because he cannot reward and save those people who are part of the other wing(think militant wing) of MQM who answer directly to bhai and keep rest of the party (MNAs, MPAs , Workers etc) in line. Hence the anger and sacking

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