MQM quits talks with govt; presents 3 basic demands

ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) on Thursday said in the face of ‘non-serious attitude’ of the government, it withdraws itself from the ongoing process of negotiation, demanding acceptance of resignations of the party’s lawmakers at once.

At an emergency press conference at Islamabad Federal Lodges early Thursday morning, the MQM’s negotiations team headed by Dr. Farooq Sattar put forth three basic demands: “Undeclared ban on MQM’s welfare activities be lifted; MQM’s political offices be allowed to function and; Altaf Hussain’s recorded statements be allowed to go on air on electronic media.”

He said MQM’s six-member team held a third round of talks with the government’s negotiation team on Wednesday night.

Later, he said, a joint meeting of MQM’s Rabitta (coordination) committees Karachi and London was held.

He said it was decided in the meeting that MQM withdraw itself from the ongoing negotiation with the government because it was no use at all to continue the talks in the face of government’s ‘non-serious attitude’.

Dr Farooq Sattar said MQM lawmakers tendered their resignations from assemblies and the Senate on August 12 and even after a lapse of almost 20 days no grievance-redressal committee was formed by the government.

He reiterated that MQM was being pushed against the wall in the guise of Karachi operation. “MQM faces an undeclared and unconstitutional ban on its political and welfare activities,” he said.

He said all the political offices of MQM stand shut and its welfare wing Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF) was not being allowed to carry out its activities.

He said his party’s chief Altaf Hussain’s statements – both live and recorded – have been banned from going on air, terming it an unconstitutional act. “I ask the owners of electronic media outlets under whose instructions they have decided not to air Altaf Hussain’s statements,” he said.