- Senator Tahir Mashhadi says MQM won’t oppose Karachi operation
A delegation of senators from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Monday called on secretary of the Senate and withdrew their resignations.
Four senators – Tahir Mashhadi, Nighat Mirza, Mian Atiq, Khushbakht Shujaat withdrew their resignations to attend Monday’s session.
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani at the outset of the session announced that MQM senators have withdrawn their resignations, which were tendered in August this year under protest, and are attending the proceedings of the House.
The chairman pointed out that there was reasonable material and circumstances available on the record to augment the perception that the resignations may not be voluntary and genuine, and the true intention was to not vacate the seats.
MQM members in the National Assembly (MNAs) are also expected to take back their resignations on November 6.
MQM senators led by Senator Tahir Mashhadi also called on Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani.
Senator Tahir Mashhadi later talking to media said that his party was not opposed to the operation in Karachi but urged that it be restricted to the operation against criminal elements only.
On August 12 this year, MQM resigned from the Parliament and the Sindh Assembly, against what it called extrajudicial killings and disappearances of its workers at the hands of law enforcement agencies in Karachi.
Earlier, the federal government had issued a notification on October 16 to form a five-member grievances redressal committee that was given the mandate to register and resolve concerns raised by the MQM related to the Rangers-led security operation in Karachi.