ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Nabeel Gabol tendered his resignation from the National Assembly, hinting at the differences surfacing between him and the party as reasons.

“I have resigned from the NA seat and will decide later on my future prospects in politics,” he said at a press conference, adding that he had submitted the resignation to party some fifteen days ago.

When asked whether he was resigning under pressure, Gabol said “I am not a goat that can be pulled in any direction by anyone or tied to a post. I hold my personal following in Karachi and Sindh, no one has the guts to threaten me.”

Gabol said that he had come to submit his resignation to the NA Speaker.

“My political background doesn’t suit MQM and we both were a misfit for each other.

"I am more of an unguided missile while MQM is a pretty organised party so this kinship wasn’t going to last long anyway,” explained Gabol.

“I will soon be involved in much bigger politics than this, since the political arena inside MQM is not favourable for national level politics, whereas I want to play big.”

Gabol, however, did not comment on the rumours of him joining Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

"MQM wants to run itself in an organised manner, where I found myself as a misfit. I cannot give so much time to party affairs like other MQM leaders and I am also very out spoken,” he added.

Gabol said the NA speaker was not present in his office, so he had to submit his resignation to the deputy speaker. He added that he hopes his resignation is not treated the way PTI resignations were handled.

However, MQM leader Abdul Rashid Godail while talking to DawnNews clarified that there are no differences between Nabeel Gabol and the party and that MQM has not pressurised him to tender the resignation.

Nabeel Gabol will address a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday to give details of his resignation and his future prospects in politics.

After being practically sidelined by Pakistan Peoples Party leadership, Gabol had joined MQM in 2013 —months before the general election — to what he called “serve the people of Lyari”. Later he won NA-246 seat in Karachi on MQM’s ticket by claiming more than 100,000 votes.

Previously, Gabol has been elected MNA from Lyari in 2008 on a PPP ticket. He became minister of state for ports and shipping, but later resigned from the post. He has been winning elections from Lyari for over two decades. He has also served as deputy speaker of the Sindh Assembly.