Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain, who had earlier resigned and handed authority to the Rabita Committee, has retracted his resignation.
“I may not be the chief in the eyes of Britain, but I am the chief in the eyes of party workers.”
Altaf Hussain, who was addressing party workers from London, had earlier announced that he was voluntarily stepping down as the party chief following a raid at his UK house by the London Metropolitan Police in which several materials were seized. The MQM chief said that despite requests to the police, he had not been provided with a list of items seized.
Altaf said that it was not difficult for the establishment if it wanted to punish anyone, this has been happening all over the world. He said that the establishment has maligned him and his party by propagating that his party didn’t tolerate opponents.
The MQM chief demanded that the agencies operating all over the world should catch hold of Imran Farooq’s murderers.
Speaking on the murder case, Altaf said he had hired a lawyer who was present during the raid, but he had not heard from him since then. “I will represent myself in the case and will accept the court’s decision.”
He said that if a court of law took up Dr Farooq murder case then he would not engage any lawyer, solicitor or barrister, rather he would fight the case himself.
“I would plead my case personally and embrace the ruling of the honourable court openheartedly regardless of which way it goes,” he added.
Vowing to continue his struggle, he advised his followers to stay committed no matter what happened.
“Hold your heads high and repose your full trust in the party leadership,” said Altaf.
Following their party leader’s announcement, throngs of shocked party workers, supporters and sympathisers showed up at the MQM Headquarters Nine Zero in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur.
The workers shouted slogans to express their solidarity as well as allegiance to Altaf’s leadership demanding him to withdraw his decision.
Separately, Dr Imran Farooq’s widow urged Altaf to take back his decision to voluntarily relinquish the party leadership on moral grounds.
Talking to a private TV channel, Shumaila Imran on behalf of herself, her kids and in the name of her martyred husband appealed to Altaf to withdraw his decision to step down from the party leadership.
She said, “Me, my kids and the nation is with Altaf Bhai. I love Quaid Altaf Hussain. Altaf Hussain is our leader and will remain our leader. She is deeply hurt by the decision of Altaf Hussain.”
Meanwhile, MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said conspiracy was being hatched against the party.
Talking to reporters at Nine Zero‚ he said Imran Farooq’s murder was a big tragedy. He said, “Raiding party chief’s house and conducting Altaf Hussain’s media trail by the London Metropolitan Police is not acceptable.”
Sattar said that Altaf would continue to be the leader of the party. He said they have a right to take legal action against the London Police.
Altaf retracts resignation; says agencies can punish anyone
