Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) senior leader, Dr Farooq Sattar resigned from the party’s Rabita Committee on Thursday citing ‘personal reasons.’ Speaking to journalists, the veteran politician confirmed the news of his resignation from Rabta Committee which is MQM-P’s top decision-making body. “I have tendered my resignation due to personal reasons,” he told media representatives. Last week, Farooq Sattar claimed that he received an offer from the ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to join the party and contest the NA-247 by-election on PTI’s ticket. “PTI wants me to contest the by-election on NA-247 from Alvi’s seat,” the MQM-P leader shared. It is worth mentioning that Sattar lost the NA-247 seat to PTI candidate Dr Arif Alvi in the general elections. After Dr Arif Alvi won the presidential elections and assumed office as the country’s 13th president, he vacated the seat. A by-election is scheduled to be conducted on NA-247. Sattar had also said that the party did not consult him while making important decisions. “There is still time for MQM-P to correct their mistakes and compensate for the mistakes they made,” he added. Meanwhile, a close aide of Farooq Sattar informed Daily Times that Sattar decided to leave the Rabta Committee because he was constantly being ignored by the party. “He was also not asked to contest the NA-247 by-elections by MQM-P,” he shared. According to sources, the MQM-P politician took this step in order to get an offer from MQM-P to contest the by-election on the party’s ticket and he might resign from basic membership over his grievances too. Meanwhile MQM-P spokesman confirmed that Farooq Sattar’s resignation letter had been received. The spokesman said that the resignation had not been accepted yet and a delegation would be sent to Sattar in order to address his reservations soon. Ali Raza Abidi told Daily Times that Farooq Sattar was still a member of MQM-P and he had only resigned from the Rabta Committee. Published in Daily Times, September 14th 2018.