PM, political leaders decide not to immediately accept MQM resignations

ISLAMABAD: A consultative meeting between leaders of parliamentary political parties and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday decided not to immediately accept resignations by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers from their seats in the National Assembly, Senate and Sindh assembly.

During the meeting, the prime minister vowed to increase communication with the MQM in an effort to keep them involved in the democratic process.

According to sources, the meeting was not attended by leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

The prime minister had called the meeting of parliamentary party leaders after consulting with senior federal ministers and legal experts earlier in the day.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Information Minister Pervez Rashid, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, senior minister Ahsan Iqbal and legal experts were part of the earlier consultation, during which the political situation following the resignations of the MQM lawmakers and the different political and legal options available to the government were discussed.

'Victimized in garb of Karachi operation'

The MQM resigned from all its seats in the Senate, National Assembly and Sindh Assembly on Wednesday in protest against what they describe as a campaign of victimization against them in the ongoing operation in Karachi.

The MQM decided to step out of the legislative fold in light of reservations over the ongoing Karachi operation. The party, which dominates politics in Pakistan's largest city Karachi, says it has been unfairly targeted in the police and paramilitary crackdown on violence in the city, the Sindh provincial capital.

Following the resignations, MQM senior leader Farooq Sattar told media that his party was being politically victimized and pushed against the wall.

"The members of parliament from MQM, eight senators, 24 MNAs (members of the National Assembly) and 51 members of provincial Sindh assembly, have resigned in protest against the injustice, political victimization and pushing the party to wall," Sattar told reporters in Islamabad.

"The path is being cleared for another party in the local bodies' elections in Karachi," he said, referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

Khawaja Izharul Hassan, a senior MQM leader in the Sindh provincial assembly, said the party was being singled out in the operation in Karachi.

"We resigned because the MQM is being victimized in the garb of the targeted operation in Karachi for elimination of terrorism," he said.

The party is of the view that its voice is not being heard on any government forum, therefore, it is left with no other option but to resign from the Senate and the national and provincial assemblies.