KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Syed Ali Raza Abidi, once a staunch supporter of party, has tendered his resignation from basic membership of MQM.
He sent his resignation to MQM Convener and IT Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and also posted a picture of it on Twitter.
“This is to bring to your attention that I will not be able to continue participation with MQM Pakistan due to personal reasons,” Abidi wrote in the twitter.
MQM-P had filed nomination papers of Faisal Sabzwari for by-elections in NA-243 by ignoring Ali Raza Abidi.
However, Abidi while sharing his handwritten resignation on twitter, confirmed he stepped down from basic membership of MQM-P over personal reasons.
Earlier in 2017, Abidi rejoined MQM-P due to Farooq Sattar’s efforts.
He had resigned from National Assembly seat after quitting MQM-P over merger with Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).
Abidi has been a staunch supporter of the MQM since his college days. His father was also an MQM supporter and was elected as an MNA on the party’s ticket.
Speaking to a private television channel, Abidi said he was being punished for having been associated with the party’s PIB faction. Earlier in the year, the party was divided into two new factions – Bahadurabad and PIB. The latter was headed by former convener Dr Farooq Sattar.
The two factions reunited before the general elections.
Abidi contested the election from NA-243 but lost to PTI chief and now Prime Minister Imran Khan. In the last election, he was elected to the National Assembly from NA-251 Karachi.
They didn’t have to field me in the election, said Abidi. But they could have at least consulted with me when nominating the candidate, he lamented.
The PSP-MQM merger ended up after chiefs of both parties hurled allegations at each other. In a press conference, MQM’s Farooq Sattar announced to quit politics but later he retracted, saying “My mother has asked me to take back my decision to quit politics and ordered to serve the people as before.” NNI
