Altaf’s name to be omitted from MQM’s constitution

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Pakistan has completed work to amend its constitution and there is a likelihood that this will be submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) during the current week.

The MQM-Pakistan is registered with the ECP in the name of Dr Farooq Sattar. Legal experts of the MQM have completed consultations in connection with an amendment in the party’s constitution, which has been handed over to the MQM chief in Pakistan Dr Farooq Sattar. Altaf Hussain’s name has been omitted from the party’s constitution.

The MQM has made changes in its letterhead also and the name of founder and Quaid-e-Tehreek Altaf Hussain has been removed. Relations with Altaf Hussain have been severed in the light of the amendment in the party’s constitution, and under the new constitution, the MQM-Pakistan will take decisions on its own in Pakistan.

Dr Farooq Sattar and Khawaja Izharul Hassan will appear before the ECP on the behalf of MQM to submit the amended constitution of the party.Meanwhile, MQM-Pakistan leader Dr Farooq Sattar has said those who have joined the Pak Sarzameen Pakistan, including MNA Asif Hasnain, will soon come back to the party’s fold.

Replying to a question whether the MQM workers, MNAs and MPAs will come back to the MQM Pakistan, Sattar said they will soon return after their misunderstandings were cleared.He was talking to the media at his house in the PIB Colony on Sunday. Sattar said he will hold a press conference today (Monday) which will be entertaining. “Tension lena ka nahee denay kay hay,” he stressed.

He said one MQM worker died in judicial custody on Sunday and the MQM-Pakistan was getting details in this regard.“We believe in the supremacy of the judiciary and Pakistan and want to strengthen democracy,” he said.

Dr Farooq Sattar said that after the oath-taking ceremony, all local bodies members will work for the betterment and development of Karachi with full strength and will serve the city without any discrimination.

On the occasion, besides Dr Farooq Sattar, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Amir Khan took all the parliamentarians into confidence and said that nowthey had completely disowned London and its policies. Besides the parliamentarians, different party wings like Labour had gathered and stressed that the MQM-Pakistan had no link with London.

Dr Farooq Sattar also reiterated that now all the policies of the MQM-Pakistan will be made in Pakistan, not London. "When we say that we have disconnected with London, it means that we are no more in contact with them. Stop doing speculation.” He took all the parliamentarians into confidence and said this meeting was held to remove all kinds of speculations.

Farooq Sattar reiterated the party's demand that Nine-Zero should be unsealed soon. He said that MQM's political activities should not be interrupted. “Nothing happens due to one person’s speech,” Sattar said, adding that the party would not allow its 38 years of struggle go waste.

Sattar said that the party’s mandate and political ownership should be accepted. Earlier, MQM's Central Executive Committee and parliament members’ session went under way under the chairmanship of Farooq Sattar.

The CEC session was attended by party leaders Amir Khan, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and others. During the meeting, the country’s current political situation and organisational matters were discussed. Sattar took the party members into confidence over the prevailing situation, an MQM spokesman said.