Cleaned party of disruptive elements, says Sattar after visiting martyrs monument

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) chief Dr Farooq Sattar on Saturday afternoon said that the party has set itself anew with educated people.

"We have left behind August 22, 2016, and cleaned the party of disruptive elements," the MQM-P chief said. 

Sattar marched on foot from Liaquat Ali Khan chowk on foot to reach the Yadgar-e-MQM-Shuhada. 

Speaking to journalists at the Liaquat Ali Khan Chowk, Sattar said he was going to Yadgar-e-MQM-Shuhada after one year. He added that MQM-P had freed the party of allegations of torture.

Sattar offered Fateha at the graves of the party's martyrs memorial and laid floral wreaths. He was accompanied by the party's leadership including Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar, Kamran Tessori, Faisal Subzwari and others.  

Speaking to journalists after the visit to the memorial site, MQM-P leader Nasreen Jalil while responding to a reporter's questions, cited Farooq Sattar's earlier press conference and said that the offer for talks still stands.

Earlier speaking outside the party's temporary headquarters in Bahadurabad after the rabitta committee meeting. 

Sattar said he was unable to digest the reasons given for not allowing party workers to visit the party-martyrs memorial site. He added that after great difficulty only the party's leadership has been given permission to visit the memorial site.

As sources said MQM-P was denied permission of rally due to security threats, Sattar asked why only his party workers were threatened and no one else was. He was referring to the leaders of Pak Sarzameen Party, whom he said would also visit Yadgar-e-MQM-Shuhada in coming days.

Earlier, the MQM-P chief addressed the media outside his house along with his mother. 

Told my son not to join party: Sattar’s mother

Addressing the media before her son, Farooq Sattar’s mother told journalists she had told her only son not to join the party. She stressed that her son has made many sacrifices over the years. She reiterated that Sattar viewed everyone through the same lens. She prayed for the martyrs before handing blessing her son ahead of his visit. 

Earlier on Saturday morning, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan changed its decision of marching from Aisha Manzil to Yadgar-e-MQM-Shuhada in Azizabad area of the city, instead only the party chief, Farooq Sattar, along with Rabita Committee members will visit the memorial.

The reason behind change of plan has not surfaced yet. However, sources said MQM-P leadership had not asked the district administration for permission prior to making the announcement for the march.

According to a spokesperson of MQM-P, the party chief will say prayers for the deceased at Yadgar-e-MQM-Shuhada.

Roads to Yadgar-e-MQM-Shuhada closed

Sources confirmed to Geo News that since the MQM-P has not sought written permission for any sort of crowd activation, the law enforcers have been deployed to make sure no rally or procession is taken out. 

Roads leading from Madni Masjid and Liaquat Ali Khan road to the Yadgar-e-MQM-Shuhada have been closed for traffic. Containers and road-blocks have been placed on the roads to restrict movement.

Meanwhile, personnel of the Sindh Rangers have taken up positions around the Yadgar-e-MQM-Shuhada. 

This is one of the three decisions that Sattar has made changes to over the past few days.

At a news conference held on November 9, Sattar announced to quit MQM-P and politics. The decision had come a day after MQM-P and Pak Sarzameen Party had announced to join hands.

While reasoning his resignation, Sattar had said he was hurt by the response he received from workers of both the parties after the news conference of November 8, which is why he decided to quit politics.

But moments later, Sattar retracted his decision to quit the party and politics, saying his mother convinced him to keep serving the people of Pakistan.

"My mother ordered me to continue serving the country and its people. To fulfill her wishes, I take my decision back," he remarked on late at night, almost an hour after announcing his decision to quit.