The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) lawmakers staged a walkout from the ongoing Sindh Assembly session earlier today in protest against the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party.
Statements made by PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto — at the PPP rally in Karachi — criticising MQM chief Altaf Hussain prompted the MQM to quit the PPP-led coalition government. Bilawal had also said Altaf and his party were responsible for ruining Karachi.
Earlier in the day, the MQM lawmakers had submitted their resignations to Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan.
A meeting with the Sindh Assembly speaker had commenced in which MQM representatives were present.
Further, the MQM also submitted a separate application to the Sindh Assembly requesting the allotment of seats in the opposition bench.
Sabzwari, while addressing the media, said, “We did not give any strong statement, but the MQM has faced enough verbal abuse.”
“The MQM had decided to join the Sindh government because urban areas were being ignored. When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto started the quota system, the ratio of the urban and rural widened,” Sabzwari said in criticism of the PPP.
After walking out of the Sindh Assembly, MQM leader Khawaja Izharul Hasan announced today that his party has officially parted ways with the Pakistan Peoples party.
“We have requested the speaker to allot us seats on the opposition benches,” he said, while addressing the media in Karachi.
Censuring PPP leaders’ speeches in the assembly, Hasan said, “The leaders did not respond to the issues raised by us and only spoke about the money they have spent on projects.”
Reiterating that they never spoke of the division of Sindh, Hasan said MQM chief Altaf Hussain has advised that administrative units should be made all over Pakistan.
The MQM leader reaffirmed the party’s support to the police and Rangers in the Karachi operation.
