E-Paper | October 20, 2026

MQM decides to sit in opposition

Dawn.com Published
32
comments
Whatsapp Channel

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to sit in the opposition benches at the federal and provincial level, DawnNews reported.

The decison was made by the the MQM's Rabita committee, after days of speculation.

MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari will be the party's parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly, whereas Syed Sardar Ahmed will participate in the election for chief minister Sindh.

Dr Farooq Sattar will be the MQM's parliamentary leader in the National Assembly while Rashid Godal will be the party's deputy leader.

Meanwhile, the MQM's Rabita Committee held a press conference in Karachi on Wednesday during which the party’s leader Haider Abbas Rizvi appealed to the citizens of the city to setup a vigilance committee in the city.

Rizvi requested Karachiites to record videos of cars plying on Karachi’s roads without number plates and those carrying suspicious persons and post it on social media websites.

The MQM ‘s activists were being targeted in the city which was actually ‘genocide’ against the Urdu-speaking community, according to the party’s Rabita Committee.

Rizvi also requested those in power to take notice of the illegal activities of the law enforcement personnel.

Pakistan
32

Read more

AA
May 29, 2013 09:20pm
What is "breaking news" about this. Its just the trailer of what they will do the next 5 years!
Recommend 0
Khan Dhaduk
May 29, 2013 09:33pm
Why is this a breaking news?
Recommend 0
Qamar
May 29, 2013 09:44pm
MQM has a very poor credibility. One day they are in opposition, the next day they will be in the government.
Recommend 0
babaji
May 29, 2013 10:21pm
For how long? A couple of weeks?
Recommend 0
m kay
May 29, 2013 10:29pm
did the site really leave the comment section open for this piece of news article??? very strange. pretty sure what many wanna comment will not pass the screening anyway. Seat belt on, Karachiites. Once again, you are being taken for a ride sadly.
Recommend 0
Anjum Khaleeq
May 29, 2013 10:33pm
They cannot sit relaxed until they're back in the Government and ignite the money printing machine. PPP knows their weaknesses and MQM knows PPP's ones, they will be in romance soon again.
Recommend 0
Abdullah Niazi
May 29, 2013 10:45pm
Now the real circus starts,MQM away from the seat of the government ? Highly unlikely, very soon MQM leadership will make a political somersault and join PPP led government in Sindh.. Past history of MQM speaks for itself.
Recommend 0
Soomro
May 29, 2013 10:52pm
Good decision on part of MQM.
Recommend 0
Najam uddin
May 29, 2013 10:57pm
If nothing else, Nawaz Sharif should expect a noisy, boisterous, frequent walk out when MQM sits on opposition benches.
Recommend 0
haris
May 29, 2013 11:02pm
I welcome their decision. After a long time they made some sane decisions
Recommend 0
hyat
May 29, 2013 11:19pm
Good job! because of PTI will be sitting in Opposition that's why they don't want to give chance to other people to oppose ppp.
Recommend 0
AR
May 29, 2013 11:20pm
In my view following should be added to the heading "for the time being"
Recommend 0
Guest63
May 29, 2013 11:36pm
After enjoying the perks of so called Coalition partners ( enjoying all the Goodies yet blaming the Coaliation leading party for all the ills of the Govt , in all the Govt they have been participating in ! ) , in my humble opinion , they have read the writing on the walls and must stick to their decision ( not like quitting/resigning , reconsidering and rejoining the same DRAMAS we have witnessed with the MQM and its so called leaderships ) . Let them see the light of being made to sit and work with no perks for next 5 years . N-league have cold shouldered them from day 1 after the May Election results started poring in , PPP can live and work in Sindh without them and they have No representation in Punjab,KPK, Baluchistan ..... Hope the country will also see the back of the Longest ever serving Governor of MQM , in the country
Recommend 0
marghoobahmedsiddiqui
May 29, 2013 11:40pm
Till when MQM sit on opposition benches and will again joine Government benches? They can't remain out of Government as they have to enjoy power of ruling and they know what.
Recommend 0
Citizen
May 30, 2013 12:17am
Which means they will be in correlation with PPP which indirectly mean that Karachi will remain same as like before.
Recommend 0
Parvez
May 30, 2013 12:20am
Is that an admission that the last 5 years was a major blunder ??
Recommend 0
Najamuddin
May 30, 2013 12:25am
MQM cannot live for long without getting power positions and Ministries. They are power greedy and had been playing such hide and seek politics with PPP from beginning till end?
Recommend 0
TKhan
May 30, 2013 12:27am
An honest and visionary opposition is also very important for the health of a country, especially Pakistan where opposition has been either non-existing or only symbolic and ineffective. After being so long in alliance with the ruling parties, perhaps it is a chance for MQM to offer support for constructive ideas that helps the entire country and oppose those that are not in the best interest as a nation. Although these elections were decided on the provincial lines, however, it was a good beginning (with some sad incidents of vote frauds). If all parties in opposition work together to solve the core problems i.e. education, education, education, terrorism, corruption and economy; Pakistan can regain respectability in the eyes of her own people as well as in the world. Amen!
Recommend 0
Laeeq,NY
May 30, 2013 01:03am
Why MQM in the opposition ? A party who always enjoyed being in the government and had their Governor in their Province from last nine years. MQM has sensed that if they will run their current business as usual, they will will be soon loose what ever they have achieved in their party history. PTI is a biggest threat for both the MQM and the Peoples Party in Sindh. If PTI suceed in delivering as a strong opposition in the center and a well governed government in KPK , MQM will have no chance to survive in Sindh in next elections. Recent elections are an eye opner for the MQM. If they do not change the language and tone of their politics, they will loose all of it.
Recommend 0
Farhan
May 30, 2013 01:58am
Black mailing nothing else....they will switch to be a part of the govt within weeks....wait and see
Recommend 0
athar khan
May 30, 2013 02:39am
Karachi people wake up. All these negative comments shows that what kind of conspiracy is over all Pakistan against MQM. Since Pakistan created around 2000 people every day migrating to Karachi from Up country so that Urdu speaking people become in minority in its own city. When Train leaves from Peshawar why people do not drop in Pindi Lahore instead they keep on riding on train & drop all of them in Karachi. Not only this Karachi develop 70% revenue for Pakistan & nothing spend on the development of Karachi what a shame to this country & after all this political leaders say that Karachi is detoriting & loosing its development compare to Lahore & Islamabad. It is obiovious & clear with their action & them Karachi people what a double standard they have.
Recommend 0
skhan
May 30, 2013 03:53am
The question is, for how long? They will soon join govt. in "country's best Interest"..
Recommend 0
MAK
May 30, 2013 04:01am
@haris: Question is, how long they will stick to this decision ? Past history of MQM tells us that they have mastered the art of U-turns & political somersaults.
Recommend 0
Akil Akhtar
May 30, 2013 04:49am
They should actually be sitting in Jail
Recommend 0
Sana Shaikh
May 30, 2013 05:32am
I'm 99.99% sure they will change it at the end, just before the assembly meeting. This never happened and this never will.
Recommend 0
Nadir Khan
May 30, 2013 06:00am
@Khan Dhaduk: Don't you know Dawn is published in Karachi, every little news concerning MQM becomes a 'breaking news'. Who can escape MQM's coercive tactics.
Recommend 0
MOHAMMAD
May 30, 2013 07:28am
mqm should join the GOVT.
Recommend 0
Ashoni
May 30, 2013 08:44am
MQM finish own credibility. they are famous in the name of Black mailor of Govt. you see before july they join Sindh Govt.
Recommend 0
SM ZAKI
May 30, 2013 09:40am
Its a wise decision and will bring postive results not only for MQM but for Sindh province too. This decision will also put lid on this propagnda that Muttahida cant sit in opposition. Besides, MQM should also focuss on law and order and improving educational and recreational activities in its under influence areas. As far as propganda of anti-MQM elements , whether they are in oppostion or in media, is concerned it will continue. But Muttahida should not pay any heed to such trivial things and avoid unnecessary confrontation. Best wishes to Muttahida. SM ZAKI,QUETTA.
Recommend 0
M Rafique
May 30, 2013 11:09am
Trying to go in era of 1984-88, to exploit the sentiments of urdu speaking
Recommend 0
sameer
May 30, 2013 02:38pm
@skhan: whats wrong if they jon government?
Recommend 0
I am a PTI Supporter
Jun 01, 2013 11:48am
@M Rafique: @Faiza: @PakistanUnited: I support PTI but I see no TABDEELI so far What TABDEELI? THEY have broken their promises that they made to public during election campaign PTI leader Imran enthusiastically said a few days back , " He will shoot DRONES" but now PTI timidly says its not possible for them either to stop or shoot drones. PTI was about to bring Youth in to power but most its of MNAs and MPAs are 55+ to 60+ PTI leadership said, they will not shake hands with any of the parties that were the partner in the Zardari Govt....BUT now thay have shaken hands with PML (Q) , which has been the partner of Gen. Musharraf and then Zardari. PTI leader Imran said energetically that he will turn C.M house into a LIBRARY
Recommend 0

Most Popular

01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09

Latest Stories

Opinion

Editorial

Eating grass for AI
Updated 19 Oct, 2026

Eating grass for AI

As dependence on AI grows, the bill could reach hundreds of millions of dollars by the end of the decade.
Climate exodus
Updated 19 Oct, 2026

Climate exodus

Climate displacement could then become another source of instability unless governments prepare for it together.
Settler terrorism
19 Oct, 2026

Settler terrorism

ISRAEL’S genocidal violence in occupied Gaza has understandably captured the world’s attention. Yet another...
State of denial
Updated 18 Oct, 2026

State of denial

If the Taliban regime commits to preventing groups based on its soil from attacking neighbouring states, the process of normalisation and regional integration of Afghanistan can begin.
Suffering in silence
18 Oct, 2026

Suffering in silence

TOO many Pakistani children have nowhere to turn when abused online. An estimated 1.5m internet-using children aged...
Export imperative
18 Oct, 2026

Export imperative

THE government’s efforts to boost Pakistan’s external sector through diversified financing, higher foreign...
Dawn News English Podcasts
Subscribe