Another party leader announces disassociation from MQM founder

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Kanwar Naveed on Wednesday announced disassociation with party founder, after his inflammatory and anti-Pakistan speech which incited party workers to attack media houses in Karachi on August 22.

Talking to reporters after a hearing in an anti-terrorism court in Karachi, he said that he and some other party workers were with Farooq Sattar.

“We will make MQM and Pakistan stronger under Farooq Bhai's leadership”, he added.

He further said that Farooq Sattar’s policy was their policy from now on.

On Saturday, MQM deputy convener Farooq Sattar said that the policies and decisions of the party in Pakistan are no longer linked to the party's founder and its offices in London.

He said that there was a need to draw a line now and that the line had been drawn on August 23.

"We drew a line on August 23. And the objective of drawing that line was that there is no link now between our decisions and London. Now our decision-making and policy-making are not linked to London anymore," said Sattar.

On August 22, MQM headquarters Nine Zero was sealed in Karachi after party workers turned to violence following directives by party founder to surround the offices of Geo News, Samaa and ARY.

Prior to resorting to violence, MQM workers also chanted anti-Pakistan slogans incited by Altaf Hussain who addressed them at the Karachi Press Club (KPC).