Babar Ghauri, Shamim Siddiqui quit MQM over 'personal reasons'

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders Babar Ghauri and Shamim Siddiqui announced on Sunday that they will no longer be associated with the party. 

The two leaders, both former federal ministers and presently based in the US, announced their disassociation separately. 

In a statement, Ghauri said he has resigned from his basic party membership and is relieving himself of all official responsibilities within the MQM.

Ghauri said further that the reasons for leaving the party are purely personal, adding that he will not be joining any political party and group for now. 

Ghauri has remained as the federal minister for ports and shipping, as well as a lawmaker in the provincial and national assemblies, and the Senate.

Talking to Geo News from the United States, Ghauri said he has been politically inactive for around a year.

In response to a question whether he is resigning from MQM-London, he said: "there is only one MQM and that is in London". He added that he has never been a part of the MQM that is working out of Pakistan. 

However, he seemed sympathetic towards the creation of MQM-Pakistan, saying, "I understand why they did what they did".

He said it will be good if the MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP)'s merger succeeds as the Mohajir community is being neglected.

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The MQM split into two factions after a controversial speech by its London-based founder in August 2016. 

Moreover, the Pakistan-based MQM recently announced a short-lived 'alliance' with PSP, which was formed by former MQM leaders Mustafa Kamal and Anis Kaimkhani in 2016 and has been pulling serving and former MQM members into the party ever since. 

Shamim Siddiqui leaves MQM-London 

Later, it was reported that former MNA Shamim Siddiqui has also resigned from his basic membership of MQM-London.

Siddiqui, presently based in Houston, has remained the federal minister of communication from 2004 to 2007. 

Siddiqui reportedly said he has resigned from the party for personal reasons. 

"My basic disagreement with MQM-London was Altaf Hussain's role during the August 22, 2016 incident when anti-Pakistan slogans were raised," he told Geo News.

Amber Khan leaves MQM-London 

Later, MQM-London's Rabita Committee member Amber Khan also announced to leave the party. 

Talking to Geo News, she claimed that both factions of the MQM, London and Pakistan, are one. 

Khan was a provincial minister of culture and tourism. 

At least 10 people, including three women supporters of MQM-London, were taken into custody on Saturday after the situation deteriorated at the metropolis' Liaquat Ali Khan Chowk.

The workers were trying to reach the Yadgar-e-Shuhada monument built in memory of martyrs of the MQM at Jinnah Ground in Azizabad.