Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader and former member of the National Assembly (MNA) Ali Raza Abidi has tendered in his resignation from the party's "basic membership", it emerged on Sunday.

Abidi shared his resignation letter, addressed to party's convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, on Twitter. In the letter, he cited "personal reasons" for leaving the party.

His resignation comes ahead of the by-elections due to take place in Karachi's NA-243 constituency next month where Abidi had contested the 2018 general elections against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

PM Khan, who had won five NA seats, has retained NA-95 (Mianwali) and vacated NA-35 (Bannu), NA-53 (Islamabad), NA-131 (Lahore) and NA-243 (Karachi).

By-elections will take place in 37 constituencies for both national and the provincial assemblies’ seats on October 14.