KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Monday staged a walkout from the Sindh Assembly against what it said was the verbal attacks levelled against it by the senior leadership of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The walkout followed fiery speeches from Khawaja Izharul Hasan of the MQM who was critical of the PPP leadership. Sharjeel Inam Memon of the PPP responded to Hasan's criticism.

The party also on the floor of the house requested that its lawmakers be allotted the opposition benches and staged a walkout after submitting an application in this regard.

Earlier today, members of Altaf Hussain's party also went to the office of Speaker Sindh Assembly Agha Siraj Durrani and requested him to allot opposition benches to MQM lawmakers.

The developments came as MQM announced its decision to part ways with the PPP-led government in Sindh.

The party had also announced that it was pulling out its lawmakers from the provincial cabinet with two of its ministers and three advisers tendering their resignations late last night.

In a stormy press conference that the party used to annul its alliance with the PPP, senior MQM leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s “persistent verbal attacks” on the Muttahida leadership and PPP’s politics of “hatred and discrimination” had made it impossible for the party to remain in the Sindh government.

Siddiqui had also criticised PPP leader Khursheed Shah’s statement that he considered Mohajir “a swear word” and said the MQM now believed that strengthening the hands of PPP was tantamount to weakening Pakistan.

CM Qaim defends govt, says prepared to answer all MQM queries

Addressing the Sindh Assembly, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said he was ready to answer all queries of the MQM and added that it was in fact the PPP which was the most oppressed party in the country.

Shah said discussing ethnic bias in the Assembly was not appropriate and added that PPP included people of all ethnicities. He said more than 250 activists of the PPP had been killed in the city.

He said all parties, including the MQM, had supported the operation in Karachi and added that the operation was being conducted without any discrimination.

The chief minister further said that the ongoing operation had improved the law and order situation of the city and many notorious criminals had been arrested. Shah claimed that this was the first government in the province which had apprehended terrorists.

The provincial chief executive said employment and development funds were equally distributed. He questioned as to who all were holding the posts of vice-chancellors at universities established in Karachi.

He added that whether the MQM remained in government or joined the opposition, the government would continue to stand for merit.

Shah said his government had been engaged in reconciliatory efforts during the past five years and was ready to do so even now.

The provincial chief minister said work on a mega power project was being carried out only in Karachi and added that the port city had been allocated a budget of Rs26 billion this year while Rs66 billion had been previously disbursed by his government.

He further said that budget allocation had been made for the K4 project and added that the accusation that Karachi was not being given anything was wrong.

Shah alleged that previous governments had failed to resolve the water and power issues of the provincial capital.

He said he was ready to answer all queries of the MQM and added that a coalition had been formed between PPP and MQM for the sake of Sindh’s development.

MQM joined Sindh govt to serve people, says Faisal Sabzwari

Speaking to reporters on Monday, MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari said his party was a part of Sindh's provincial government only to tackle issues faced by the people, adding that development work in the province's urban areas was on a halt.

The MQM leader said that during the local bodies government, Karachi saw a rise in several development projects and resources were being spent on the people.

Earlier, a statement released by the party had accused the PPP-led Sindh government of not only impeding the city’s progress but also of causing outright destruction.

The statement asked the PPP, which had sought funds from the federal government under the Karachi Package, about the sum of money its government had released for the port city.

Also read: MQM announce decision to separate from Sindh government

Clarifying MQM's position on the recent row with the PPP, Sabzwari said that their party's position was still mellow, adding that they could have taken extreme measures.

He also said that for MQM workers, staying in government was secondary to their association with party chief Altaf Hussain.

Meanwhile, PPP leader Agha Siraj Durrani had termed the issue an ordinary matter and said that the PPP would convince the MQM to reconsider its decision.

Also read: Khursheed Shah apologises for 'Mohajir' comment after MQM criticism