Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Chief Farooq Sattar announced to quit the party and politics.
Following after Rabita Committee had expressed its confidence in his leadership after high-level huddle on Thursday, Dr. Farooq Sattar has announced to quit MQM(P) and politics.
The decision also comes a day after MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party had announced to contest for general elections 2018 under ‘one name, one election symbol’.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Sattar said: “I was saddened and hurt by the response I got [after the press conference]” he said. “I was disappointed with the response I got from PSP leaders and my own workers.”
“The decision was made after discussions with Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, Wasim Akhtar, Kamran Tessori, Nasrin Jalil and then Rabita Committee members,” he shared, adding “we had to take everyone together.”
Sattar remarked that he doesn’t like being a leader. “People should know what you have done for them, you do not need to put up your pictures everywhere.”
“Engineered politics can never work,” he remarked, adding “politics will take its natural course.” The rule of democracy is simple, the leader who wins the hearts of the people is the one who will eventually rule, he said.
Referring to his joint-press conference with Pak Sarzameen Party Founder Mustafa Kamal, Sattar remarked: “we were left disappointed.”
Kamal agreed to unite with me and in front of me he said that MQM belongs to its founder, said Sattar. MQM belonged to its founder till August 22, 2016. “Even then, MQM was the party of muhajirs and the oppressed.”
Sattar also spoke against the tone Kamal used in the press conference. “Your purpose was to highlight the point of the alliance but you went on speaking against MQM. You said that you can’t hold talks with MQM. Then, I want to ask you, who else have you been talking to then?”
“In the press conference, PSP leaders only spoke against MQM,” he remarked, adding “I was the only one speaking about pursuing non-violent politics and ensuring security of the country.”
He remarked: “You can make PSP, you can make Haqiqi, you can keep any name for the party, but how can you forget your martyrs and their sacrifices?”
Taking a jibe at PSP, he said “those who claim to engage in national politics. I challenge them to win a single seat in Lahore or Larkana. We will dissolve the party if they succeed.”
“How can we be expected to merge with a party which never speaks about the injustice against Muhajirs,” remarked Sattar. “Muhajirs have been heart broken since yesterday.”
Reacting to PSP’s earlier claims of “burying MQM”, Sattar said: “How can you bury a party with a mandate?”
Explaining the reason for the alliance, he said that MQM made the decision because we longer wanted the blood of Muhajirs to shed.
There was misunderstanding regarding the press conference, we never said that MQM and its election symbol will cease to exist. “Kite is not just our symbol but an important part of our life and our manifesto.”
On MQM’s high-level meeting, he explained “I didn’t attend because I was discontent with party members. I appreciate the fact that they have shown confidence in my leadership.”
“My words are very important, as I am the head of Pakistan’s fourth largest party according to the National Assembly, third largest party in the Senate, second biggest party in Sindh and the biggest party for the people of Karachi.”
“I started my political career with All Pakistan Muttahidda Students Organization, which was created on June 11, 1978. I joined APMSO in 1979,” he said.
“We are in politics to save Pakistan,” he said, adding “Muhajirs and their mandate was insulted yesterday.” (PhotoNews / Geo News)
