MQM chief says won’t step down from MQM chairmanship even if treason case is registered against him
Reacting to calls for a ban on his party and statements of pursuing legal action against him, Altaf Hussain said on Saturday whoever seeks such actions against him should do so but he will not step down as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief.
“If you want to initiate a case of treason against me or ban my party, you may,” Altaf said in a telephonic address.
“I won’t resign from my position as the party chief no matter what the circumstances,” the MQM chief added. “I will continue my struggle till my last breath.”
Giving examples of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and former Jamaat-e-Islami leader Munawar Hasan’s speech against the army, Altaf said, “There are many leaders who hurled a lot of abuses at the armed forces, but only I am being targeted for my speech.”
“I can see that efforts are being made to bar me from delivering speeches in the future,” he added.
Altaf’s statement comes a day after, he apologised if his words had “hurt national security institutions and patriotic people.” The MQM further clarified their chief did not censure the armed forces and in fact applauded the leadership of Army chief General Raheel Sharif.