MQM decides to amend constitution to remove Altaf Hussain

ISLAMABAD: Farooq Sattar-led MQM Pakistan will soon amend the party’s constitution to formally and legally disassociate itself from its founder — Altaf Hussain — and make the post-22 August Muttahida a democratic organisation with no veto power given to any office bearer or leader.

MQM sources said that Farooq Sattar, Khawaja Izhar and some other senior leaders of the MQM are presently in consultation with the top legal minds of the party to precisely assess what amendments are required to give it a new look with no shadow of Altaf Hussain and his fashion of politics.

Interestingly, most of the MQM leaders are unsure of what is precisely written in the present MQM constitution which, it is discussed, gives dictatorial powers to Altaf Hussain with regard to organisational matters of Muttahida.

A senior leader of the MQM told The News that in case there is any veto power given in the constitution to any leader or party office bearer, it will be simply deleted. It is also said that in case the constitution contains the name of Altaf Hussain or makes any reference to the “founder” of the party, these will also be removed.

A senior official of the Election Commission of Pakistan, when contacted, told this correspondent that the MQM’s constitution as submitted before the Commission, does not include the name of Altaf Hussain. “Only the MQM’s letterhead, which was amongst the documents submitted with the ECP for registration of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan, contains Altaf Hussain’s name as party’s founder,” the ECP source said.

“The MQM Pakistan’s constitution does not include Altaf Hussain’s name,” the commission source categorically said, adding that Farooq Sattar is the MQM party leader as per the ECP’s official record.

According to a senior MQM leader, who claimed to have last read the party constitution in 2013, the document neither has any reference of Altaf Hussain nor gives any veto power to the party’s founder.

Following Altaf Hussain’s recent tirade against Pakistan, the Farooq Sattar-led MQM is making all efforts to materialise a complete disconnect with Altaf, who was once followed blindly but has now become a symbol of hatred even for the MQM. The MQM’s local leadership has the realisation that after August 22nd episode, Muttahida even as a political entity can’t survive by maintaining a connection with Altaf.

Decision to get rid of Altaf was taken earlier but it was not clearly announced in the press conference, addressed by Farooq Sattar, as some of the MQM leaders feared that there might be a reaction from the MQM workers. However, there has been no reaction and not even a single MQM worker has raised his voice in favour of Altaf.

This situation has encouraged Farooq Sattar to announce a complete disconnect between the MQM Pakistan and Altaf and his London Secretariat.

--Originally published in The News