Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: MQM London has expelled Farooq Sattar from the party but the federal government on Monday not only accepted Farooq Sattar as the head and convener of MQM Pakistan but also recognised MQM Pakistan formally.

Sources told Daily Times that Dr Farooq Sattar and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi on Monday attended the parliamentary leader’s conference at the prime minister’s office and were warmly welcomed by the prime minister himself. Both Farooq Sattar and the prime minister discussed the affairs of MQM on a sideline meeting. After a short while, the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also joined them. Sources said that Farooq Sattar requested that MQM pakistan be accepted as a political and parliamentary entity. The prime minister said that he had already accepted that demand, and informed Farooq Sattar that he was attending this meeting as MQM Pakistan’s leader.

Sources disclosed that Farooq Sattar assured the prime minister that his party would support the federal government on national issues and the Karachi operation as MQM Pakistan had nothing to do with MQM London. On this, the prime minister also promised to take MQM Pakistan into confidence on the issues of Karachi.

After this meeting, Farooq Sattar told the media that he was surprised that his party had been warmly welcomed in the meeting and that the government had accepted their political and parliamentary role.