Babar Ghauri, three others bid goodbye to MQM citing ‘personal reasons’

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders Babar Ghauri, Shamim Siddiqui, Amber Khan along with her husband Dr Nadeem announced on Sunday that they will no longer be associated with the party.

The four leaders announced their disassociation separately.

Babar Ghauri in his announcement said that he has resigned from the MQM and is relieving himself of all official responsibilities within the party.

Ghauri said he has been politically inactive for around a year and hence the reasons for his resignation were purely personal, adding that he will not be joining any political party or group for now.

Ghauri has served as the federal minister for ports and shipping, as well as a lawmaker in the provincial and national assemblies, and the Senate.

When asked if he has resigned from MQM-London, Ghauri said: “there is only one MQM and that is in London”. He added that he has never been a part of the MQM that is working out of Pakistan.

However, he seemed sympathetic towards the creation of MQM-Pakistan, saying, “I understand why they did what they did”.

He said that an alliance between MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP)’s is a positive move as the Mohajir community is being neglected.

Later, it was reported that former MNA Shamim Siddiqui also resigned from his basic membership of MQM-London.

Siddiqui, presently based in Houston, has remained the federal minister of communication from 2004 to 2007.

Siddiqui reportedly said he has resigned from the party for personal reasons.

“My basic disagreement with MQM-London was Altaf Hussain’s role during the August 22, 2016 incident when anti-Pakistan slogans were raised,” he said.

Later on, Senior Rabita Committee Member Amber Khan along with her husband Dr Nadeem parted ways with the MQM over the party policy differences.

According to reports, Amber Khan has expressed grave disappointment over the party policy of confrontation and clashes on party martyrs day at Jinnah Ground in Azizabad area.

Meanwhile, Amber’s husband Dr Nadeem is said to be the personal advisor of founder MQM.

The MQM split into two factions after a controversial speech by its London-based founder in August 2016.

Moreover, the Pakistan-based MQM recently announced a short-lived ‘alliance’ with PSP, which was formed by former MQM leaders Mustafa Kamal and Anis Kaimkhani in 2016 and has been pulling serving and former MQM members into the party ever since.