MQM resigns from Parliament, Sindh Assembly
Sattar says the Karachi operation is being politicised as real criminals are being given a safe exit
Farooq Sattar along with other MQM MNAs speak outside the National Assembly in Islamabad on August 12, 2015. PHOTO: WASEEM NAZIR/EXPRESS
KARACHI:
With the complaint that no one was listening to their genuine grievances, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers on Wednesday submitted resignations in Parliament and Sindh Assembly.
Speaking on the floor of the House, MQM Parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar said his party's decision to resign from all legislative bodies was taken after long deliberations.
He said the MQM chief was being singled out as in the past, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, JI leader Munawar Hassan and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif have all criticised the military and have expressed insulting remarks against them.
The MQM leader claimed that the army chief and Karachi corps commander refused to meet him after he approached them to convey MQM's concerns.
Accusing the state institutions of not understanding the true spirit of the Karachi operation, Farooq said, "If you cannot feel the heat of the fire engulfing our homes, just remember this fire could also engulf your home."
Terming a list of wanted MQM workers produced by Rangers fake, Sattar said the Karachi operation is being politicised as real criminals are being given a safe exit.
Sindh Assembly
The party which have the strength of 51 in the provincial assembly, submitted resignations on Wednesday. However, out of the 51 MPAs, only 38 lawmakers were present.
Giving reasons for their resignations, MQM lawmakers alleged the party has been targeted by the Sindh government under the garb of targeted operation for eliminating criminal elements in the city.
They also claimed that the party office bearers, workers and supporters are being illegally detained and tortured by the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) adding that more than 40 MQM workers and supporters have been killed extra-judicially in last two years, while as many as 150 party workers are still missing.
In a letter submitted along with the resignations, MQM alleged that LEAs particularly Rangers are “siding with and supporting activities of PTI with a view to impose it on Karachi by marginilising MQM.”
Ealier, MQM announced that it's parliamentarians will resign from their seats to protest the ongoing Karachi security operation.
The decision was taken during a marathon meeting of the Rabita Committee held simultaneously in Karachi and London late on Tuesday evening and lasting into the early hours of Wednesday.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain, while endorsing the Rabita Committee's decision, complained that no one was willing to listen to their genuine grievances.
Read: Parting ways: MQM G-B leader resigns
The MQM has 51 members in the Sindh assembly, 24 members (four reserve seat and one minority seat) in the National Assembly and eight Senators.
If MQM resignations are accepted, it would see by-elections on almost all the provincial and national assembly seats in Karachi.
Imran terms MQM resignations an attempt to save target killers
Reacting to MQM lawmakers’ resignations from Parliament and Sindh assembly, PTI chief Imran Khan said the resignations are an attempt to save target killers.
After MQM legislators tendered resignations, Imran tweeted “A tale of 2 resignations: One to investigate an election where all parties claimed election was rigged; & the other to save target killers.”
MQM dismisses Nabil Gabol's allegations as lies
The MQM on Tuesday evening dismissed allegations by former MPA Nabil Gabol as a pack of lies.
Gabol had earlier approached the Sindh High Court seeking protection because he faced a threat from the party. Gabol had alleged that he had been threatened by MQM chief.
Will accept MQM resignations if found voluntary: NA speaker
Responding to a question regarding MQM lawmakers’ decision to tender resignations from National Assembly, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said he will ask them if they are submitting their resignations out of their own free will or under any kind of influence.
Read: MQM chief calls for resignation of PM
“I will first investigate and if they inform me that their actions are voluntary then I will accept their resignations,” the speaker said.
Commenting on the role of the National Assembly in bringing a positive change in the society, he said everything will be done in accordance with the law.
“Pakistan is on an infant stage of democracy,” he claimed. “Progress takes time and there will soon be an improvement in the progress.”
We have voluntarily submitted resignations: Farooq Sattar
Addressing the media outside the National Assembly building MQM’s Farooq Sattar announced that his party members voluntarily submitted their resignations but with a heavy heart because “all their efforts to have their voices listened at every forum had unfortunately failed”.
“MQM parliamentarians, including its senators, 24 MNAs and 51 MPAs have submitted their resignations to the chairman Senate, the speaker National Assembly and the speaker Sindh Assembly,” Farooq said.
“We have resigned over continues injustice and non-stop suppression against the party workers,” he added.
Further, the MQM leader claimed that the party lawmakers are being stopped from exercising their constitutional, legal, political and democratic rights.
“MQM had raised these issues a number of times on all forums besides taking them up with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah,” Farooq revealed.
The MQM leader complained of illegal and unannounced restrictions which, according to him, have been clamped on the party.
The prime minister had promised to form a monitoring committee to oversee the Karachi operation but it was never formed, he said. “Had the monitoring committee been constituted, Altaf might not have issued such statements.”
“There has been an armed insurgency going on in Fata but here in Karachi not a single bullet was fired despite the arrest of 5,000 party workers in 4,000 raids at different MQM offices,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Rehman Malik has asked the government to sit with MQM’s leadership to address their grievances.
With the complaint that no one was listening to their genuine grievances, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers on Wednesday submitted resignations in Parliament and Sindh Assembly.
Speaking on the floor of the House, MQM Parliamentary leader Farooq Sattar said his party's decision to resign from all legislative bodies was taken after long deliberations.
He said the MQM chief was being singled out as in the past, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, JI leader Munawar Hassan and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif have all criticised the military and have expressed insulting remarks against them.
The MQM leader claimed that the army chief and Karachi corps commander refused to meet him after he approached them to convey MQM's concerns.
Accusing the state institutions of not understanding the true spirit of the Karachi operation, Farooq said, "If you cannot feel the heat of the fire engulfing our homes, just remember this fire could also engulf your home."
Terming a list of wanted MQM workers produced by Rangers fake, Sattar said the Karachi operation is being politicised as real criminals are being given a safe exit.
Sindh Assembly
The party which have the strength of 51 in the provincial assembly, submitted resignations on Wednesday. However, out of the 51 MPAs, only 38 lawmakers were present.
Giving reasons for their resignations, MQM lawmakers alleged the party has been targeted by the Sindh government under the garb of targeted operation for eliminating criminal elements in the city.
They also claimed that the party office bearers, workers and supporters are being illegally detained and tortured by the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) adding that more than 40 MQM workers and supporters have been killed extra-judicially in last two years, while as many as 150 party workers are still missing.
In a letter submitted along with the resignations, MQM alleged that LEAs particularly Rangers are “siding with and supporting activities of PTI with a view to impose it on Karachi by marginilising MQM.”
Ealier, MQM announced that it's parliamentarians will resign from their seats to protest the ongoing Karachi security operation.
The decision was taken during a marathon meeting of the Rabita Committee held simultaneously in Karachi and London late on Tuesday evening and lasting into the early hours of Wednesday.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain, while endorsing the Rabita Committee's decision, complained that no one was willing to listen to their genuine grievances.
Read: Parting ways: MQM G-B leader resigns
The MQM has 51 members in the Sindh assembly, 24 members (four reserve seat and one minority seat) in the National Assembly and eight Senators.
If MQM resignations are accepted, it would see by-elections on almost all the provincial and national assembly seats in Karachi.
Imran terms MQM resignations an attempt to save target killers
Reacting to MQM lawmakers’ resignations from Parliament and Sindh assembly, PTI chief Imran Khan said the resignations are an attempt to save target killers.
After MQM legislators tendered resignations, Imran tweeted “A tale of 2 resignations: One to investigate an election where all parties claimed election was rigged; & the other to save target killers.”
MQM dismisses Nabil Gabol's allegations as lies
The MQM on Tuesday evening dismissed allegations by former MPA Nabil Gabol as a pack of lies.
Gabol had earlier approached the Sindh High Court seeking protection because he faced a threat from the party. Gabol had alleged that he had been threatened by MQM chief.
Will accept MQM resignations if found voluntary: NA speaker
Responding to a question regarding MQM lawmakers’ decision to tender resignations from National Assembly, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said he will ask them if they are submitting their resignations out of their own free will or under any kind of influence.
Read: MQM chief calls for resignation of PM
“I will first investigate and if they inform me that their actions are voluntary then I will accept their resignations,” the speaker said.
Commenting on the role of the National Assembly in bringing a positive change in the society, he said everything will be done in accordance with the law.
“Pakistan is on an infant stage of democracy,” he claimed. “Progress takes time and there will soon be an improvement in the progress.”
We have voluntarily submitted resignations: Farooq Sattar
Addressing the media outside the National Assembly building MQM’s Farooq Sattar announced that his party members voluntarily submitted their resignations but with a heavy heart because “all their efforts to have their voices listened at every forum had unfortunately failed”.
“MQM parliamentarians, including its senators, 24 MNAs and 51 MPAs have submitted their resignations to the chairman Senate, the speaker National Assembly and the speaker Sindh Assembly,” Farooq said.
“We have resigned over continues injustice and non-stop suppression against the party workers,” he added.
Further, the MQM leader claimed that the party lawmakers are being stopped from exercising their constitutional, legal, political and democratic rights.
“MQM had raised these issues a number of times on all forums besides taking them up with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah,” Farooq revealed.
The MQM leader complained of illegal and unannounced restrictions which, according to him, have been clamped on the party.
The prime minister had promised to form a monitoring committee to oversee the Karachi operation but it was never formed, he said. “Had the monitoring committee been constituted, Altaf might not have issued such statements.”
“There has been an armed insurgency going on in Fata but here in Karachi not a single bullet was fired despite the arrest of 5,000 party workers in 4,000 raids at different MQM offices,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Rehman Malik has asked the government to sit with MQM’s leadership to address their grievances.