KARACHI, July 10: The All Pakistan Newspapers Society on Tuesday welcomed the resignation of Federal Minister for Housing Syed Safwanullah of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the APNS said that it had repeatedly contacted the MQM since May 22 when a hit-list of “anti-Mohajir journalists” was issued by the Muhajir Rabita Council.

The APNS had urged the MQM to remove Mr Safwanullah from his ministry as he was President of the Muhajir Rabita Council when the hit-list was issued.

The APNS said it believed that the MQM had acted effectively first by disassociating itself from the Muhajir Rabita Council’s statement and later by making Mr Safwanullah resign from the MRC and, then withdrawing him from the federal cabinet.

It said that now the only outstanding item on the agenda for action urged by the APNS was for the MQM leadership to persuade the MRC to withdraw the hit-list of 13 journalists that it had earlier issued.