The News
International

1 November 1999

Nine MQM dissidents withdraw resignations

By our correspondent

KARACHI: The nine members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) who had resigned from the party a few months ago withdrew their resignations after negotiations with Dr Imran Farooq at MQM's international secretariat in London on Sunday.

According to a faxed message issued from London on Sunday, Dr Imran Farooq succeeded in persuading the members to withdraw their resignations after a six-hour long meeting held to resolve their differences with the MQM Coordination Committee, which formed the ground of resignations.

Dr Imran assured them that their point of view and suggestions falling within the parameters of the law of the land and Constitution would be considered seriously and accommodated by the Coordination Committee.

Dr Imran informed the Coordination Committee at Nine Zero in Azizabad, Karachi, about the details of discussions and the recent developments. The Coordination Committee ratified the decision of Dr Imran and welcomed the members back to their fold, terming the development positive in the struggle for the attainment of rights.

The members who withdrew their resignations included Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Dr Ishratul Ebad, Nadeem Nusrat, Mohammad Anwar, Saleem Shahzad, Anees Ahmed Advocate, Syed Zulfiqar Haider Advocate, Wasay Jalil and Dr Sagheer Ansari.

The members, also including legislators, led by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had expressed their dissatisfaction over some of the MQM's policies and had resigned from the party. The political circles had then termed the move "a plan" to pressurise the then government.