ARY: MQM ministers submit resignations

A crucial meeting of the MQM’s Rabita (coordination) committee is underway in London and Karachi simultaneously to chalk out future plan of action regarding the possible restructuring of Hyderabad district by its coalition partner, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), ARY NEWS reported Sunday.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Saturday the old administrative structure of Hyderabad would be restored, describing the division of the former district as a great disservice to the region.

Gilani’s statement drew an immediate riposte from MQM chief Altaf Hussain who termed the plan an attempt to disrupt “reconciliatory environment and coalition setup in Sindh”.

Provincial and federal ministers belonging to MQM have submitted their resignations to the coordination committee, Rabita committee member Faisal Sabzwari said while talking to the channel.

Also, the MQM has called its MNAs, MPAs, ministers and advisors at party headquarter Nine-Zero on emergent basis, sources said.

The mover demonstrates that the party is considering quitting the ruling coalition if steps were taken to reverse Hyderabad’s bifurcation.

“We have clearly told the PPP leadership that our alliance will end the day they imposed this unjust decision,” said Sabzwari.

“Our party has demanded of intervention by President Asif Ali Zardari in this issue, but neither any progress was made nor any of the government high-ups has yet contacted with us to break the ice,” he said.

He said “we don’t want to create political mess and any confrontation with the government and but if such situation imposed on us we know very well how to fight.”

The meeting of the MQM coordination committee has resolved to go to any extent to “resist moves” to change the administrative set-up of Hyderabad, sources say.

Deputy Convener of the committee Dr Farooq Sattar, Anwar Alam, Salim Shahzad, Mustafa Azizabadi, Mustafa Kamal, Babar Ghauri, Adil Siddiqi, Wasim Akhtar and others are among the participants.

Altaf Hussain, the MQM chief, said in his statement today that conspiracies were being hatched to trigger riots in Sindh on ethnic grounds.

He said those who were bent upon subverting peace of the province are “agents of feudal lords.” He cautioned people of Hyderabad to be aware of such ‘plans.’

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Sindh senior minister Pir Mazhar ul Haq contacted the members of Rabita Committee on phone in a bid to defuse the tension between the two ruling allies.