KARACHI: Workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had to go home without listening to their leader Altaf Hussain’s speech on Wednesday after he put off a crucial workers’ convention till Thursday due to ‘extremely unavoidable circumstances’.

On Wednesday morning, the MQM issued a statement from London quoting Mr Hussain as telling the MQM workers that he was very sad and gloomy over the “extremely irresponsible and opportunistic attitude of senior office-bearers of the party”.

He summoned a meeting of all committed workers at the Lal Qila ground at 6pm on Wednesday.

Mr Hussain said in the statement that he would share further details of the irresponsible and opportunistic attitude of senior MQM leaders at that meeting and would request his party men to allow him to leave party leadership.

A large number of MQM workers, including women, reached the party’s Nine Zero headquarters to attend the meeting hours before time.

Chanting slogans in favour of Mr Hussain, the charged workers expected some big changes in the party’s organisational structure.

The MQM lawmakers, who had earlier submitted their resignations from their respective seats to their party, were also present.However, at 6.45pm they were told that Mr Hussain would not address them.

Later, a press release issued by the MQM said Mr Hussain told all MQM workers that the workers convention had been adjourned due to extremely unavoidable circumstances and it would now be held on Thursday at 6pm at the same place.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2014