Number of offices of Muttahida Qaumi Movement that have been razed in the metropolis reached 54 on Saturday after another was bulldozed in Azizabad area for illegal construction. As per details, unit 63-A office in Azizabad was built illegally on a piece of land that was reserved for recreational park. Since Friday, around 15 offices have been razed in Central and West districts of Karachi.
Ever since a crackdown was launched against anti-state elements in Sindh after MQM founder, Altaf Hussain's speech, delivered on August 22, attracted a lot of negative feedback for its anti-Pakistan slogans, some 218 offices including headquarters near Mukka Chowk were sealed. MQM Pakistan chief, Dr Farooq Sattar detached himself with Hussain in a key press conference held a few days after the controversial speech.
He was accompanied by Leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Khawaja Izharul Hassan among others prominent members in the media talk that day who announced partying ways with the London chapter. Dr Sattar claims that he has no contact with any MQM member in London since a couple of days after Hussain provoked political activists to storm media houses in Karachi.
On August 22, workers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement vandalized property of ARY News and Samaa News before a confrontation with police that claimed a life and left two wounded. Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif telephoned Pakistan Rangers Director General, Major General Bilal Akbar Rana and directed him to take immediate action in the issue that led to arrest of Dr Sattar and Dr Amir Liaquat who were freed after they spent a night in Rangers custody.
Dr Liaquat went on to announce retirement from his political career within days after the he was detained while Dr Sattar assumed charge as the party chief. However, analysts have voiced their doubts over the legitimacy of MQM's Pakistan chapter stating that this is not the first time Altaf Hussain has went down this path and handed over leadership to someone else and have his influence remain unaffected.