Altaf, MQM inseparable

KARACHI. Responding to the PTI chief Imran Khan’s strong-worded attack, the MQM Rabita Committee on Monday said no party leader or worker could imagine Altaf’s disassociation from the party, as he was their source of strength.
“This conference (PTI press conference) was not abrupt…just like the Islamabad sit-in, it was part of a pre-planned scheme,” said MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi, while addressing the media here at the party headquarters Nine-Zero.
He termed the PTI chief Imran Khan’s statements ‘baseless and condemnable’ and part of a pre-planned scheme against the party.Calling it a “black day” in Pakistan’s political history, Rizvi said the MQM workers were in shock after Imran remarks against their party chief.
“The provocative manner in which Imran used derogatory, immoral and inflammatory language against the MQM chief Altaf Hussain is highly condemnable,” he said.Earlier in the day, Imran had requested the MQM to disassociate itself from their party leader, whom he repeatedly referred to as a ‘psychopath’ and a ‘coward’.
He also accused the MQM chief of being behind the murders of former PTI Sindh women’s wing president Zahra Shahid and journalist Wali Khan Babar.Meanwhile, to show its love for Altaf Hussain, the MQM will stage a rally from Ayesha Manzil to the Mazar of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah today at 2 pm, Joint In-charge of MQM Coordination Committee Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui announced here on Monday.
It will be an unprecedented rally, as workers and supporters would move to the Mazar of Quaid-e-Azam in cars and on foot, Aminul Haq told The News.The decision to stage a rally was taken following PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s diatribe against the MQM chief Altaf Hussain.The city witnessed panic and people rushed to their homes after the stand-off between the PTI and MQM. Shops and petrol stations also started shutting down in some parts of the city.