KARACHI: Syed Khursheed Shah belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on Friday apologised and retracted his earlier statement after facing criticism from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

Addressing media representatives, the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly said his statement that ’the use of word Mohajir (immigrant) was an insult’ was not meant to hurt or offend any one and added that he takes back his words in case they caused any offence.

He clarified that he himself was a Mohajir since his ancestors had moved to Sindh several centuries ago but now he considered himself as a native. He added that MQM chief also used to call the province as ‘his motherland’ so it was better if the community identified itself as Sindhis rather than Mohajirs.

Shah once again reiterated that his words were not meant to offend any one and said that he took his words back if they had hurt anyone.

Earlier, MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi addressing a press conference at the party’s Nine-zero headquarters slammed the statement made by Syed Khursheed Shah and demanded its retraction.

The MQM leader said that the statement by the NA opposition leader had hurt the sentiments of the Urdu-speaking community.

He questioned the timings of Shah’s statement on the eve of his party’s rally in Karachi tomorrow.

The PPP’s plan to reinvigorate the party through the rally is being seen as a major response to a series of public gatherings and sit-ins by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), which recently staged a successful political show in Karachi, as well as those held by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).

The ruling party in Sindh expects the rally under its young chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to mobilise its workers in Karachi and other parts of the province.