KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) late Friday night in a statement released on its website announced that its members’ resignations from all three legislative floors were final, adding that it would not partake in dialogue over the matter anymore.

The statement said the decision was taken at an emergency joint session of MQM’s Rabita Committees in London and Karachi.

The party says it will temporarily abandon parliamentary politics and focus on the “establishment of a province and welfare activities.”

The statement goes on to say the party had unanimously decided to tender resignations in protest and the government will have to “accept them at every cost.”

“Every MQM member in Senate, National Assembly and Sindh Assembly should be seen as having resigned.”

The meeting also observed that the government had “not valued Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam – F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s role" as a mediator to reconcile differences between the party and the government. The party also condemned “Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s behaviour” during his recent visit to Karachi, terming it “arrogant and threatening.”

The party expressed dismay over the premier not visiting its critically injured MNA, Rashid Godil, in hospital.

Also read: MQM 'disappointed' by PM's Karachi visit

MQM also criticised Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah’s lack of initiative to form a monitoring committee to oversee the ongoing Karachi operation.

MQM lawmakers had simultaneously submitted their resignations in the National Assembly, Senate and the Sindh Assembly on Wednesday August 12, 2015 due to reservations over the Rangers-led operation in Karachi.

The MQM legislators had accused the law enforcement agencies of discriminatory action against MQM, forced disappearances and extra judicial killings.

In response, the government remained reluctant to accept the resignations and tasked JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman with the assignment of persuading MQM to withdraw the resignations.

Maulana visited the MQM headquarters earlier this week but the mission remained inconclusive in the wake of an attempt on the life of Muttahida MNA Rashid Godil. However the two sides had agreed to put the talks on hold for a while and start the process again in a couple of days in Islamabad.

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