KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Sunday accepted resignations of four advisers belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

The chief minister has sent the approval to the Speaker Sindh Assembly, whereas an official notification in this regard was also being issued.

The acceptance of resignation comes as the party has parted its ways with the provincial government in response to alleged statements made against their leader Altaf Hussain and Muhajirs by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership.

MQM leader Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had earlier criticised the PPP and accused them of indulging in the politics of hatred and ethnicity.

Siddiqui had said the language used repeatedly against their party chief was not tolerable, adding that they had been patient all this time only at the insistence of Altaf Hussain. "It is not possible to continue the coalition any longer," he said.

MQM 'black day' brings Karachi to standstill

Business and routine affairs in the port city were at a standstill on Sunday as the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) observed a 'black day' over the 'Muhajir' controversy raised by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Shah.

Almost all petrol pumps in the city were closed and public transport was off the roads. Karachi University also announced the postponement of all examinations scheduled for the day.

The party, in a statement issued in the evening, thanked the business and transporters' community for supporting the strike and appealed to them for the resumption of business activities and public transport services.

The MQM said late Saturday night that it would hold a demonstration at the Sharae Quaideen-Sharae Faisal intersection at 3pm on Sunday (today).

The party’s supremo, Altaf Hussain, appealed to traders and transporters to keep their businesses shut and not to bring their vehicles on roads to support the ‘peaceful’ black day.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarters ‘Nine Zero’, MQM leader Abdul Haseeb said black flags would be hoisted at all party offices across the country, adding that October 17, 2014, was the “most unfortunate day in the history of Pakistan” given that the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly termed 'Muhajir' an objectionable word at least four times.

Haseeb said the PPP leader had hurt the feelings of Muhajirs by repeatedly saying that this word was like an expletive to him. He urged people and clerics of different schools of thought to condemn the remarks.

However, Shah had apologised and retracted his earlier statement after facing criticism. The Opposition Leader in the National Assembly said his remarks that ’the use of word Muhajir was an insult’ did not mean to hurt any one, adding that he takes back his words in case they caused any offence.

The PPP leader clarified that he himself was a Muhajir since his ancestors had moved to Sindh several centuries ago but now he considered himself as a native. He added that MQM chief also used to call the province as ‘his motherland’ so it was better if the community identified itself as Sindhis rather than Muhajirs.