KARACHI: Dr. Farooq Sattar, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan Chief (PIB faction) has threatened to quit as convener of the party, describing it as a “powerless office”, according to a news report.
Addressing workers at Karachi Municipal Corporation ground, Sattar added that he would not contest the next general elections, according to the Dawn News report.
He was reported as having said that he did not want to remain leader as “charity” without power. “I will remain in the party as a common worker,” he said.
Expressing fears of being criticized if the party did not perform well in the next general elections, he said: “Let me also clarify that I don’t want any office or position and for that I would not even contest in the elections.
“I cannot remain convener any more as this office doesn’t have any power. But if anything occurs in the general elections all criticism would be against the convener. I don’t have any power, but I know that I would be held responsible for any [negative] result in the elections.”
Earlier this year, the MQM-P held intra-party elections in an attempt to end the rift over Senate candidates between the Sattar-led faction (now PIB faction) and the Rabita Committee-led Bahadurabad group (now the Bahadurabad faction). The Bahadurabad faction, however, has declared the polls that elected the former chief as the party convenor as illegal because they had refused to participate.
In November 2017, with the re-emergence of ex-mayor of Karachi, Mustafa Kamal, as party chief of the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), Sattar announced his decision to quit politics. This was retracted after party workers persuaded the MQM-P chief to stay.
Farooq Sattar threatens to quit as party convener
Farooq Sattar threatens to quit as party convener
- Sattar dubbed the post a “powerless office,” saying he could not remain in a position that had no power
- Earlier this year, the MQM-P held intra-party elections in an attempt to end the rift over Senate candidates between the Sattar-led faction and the Rabita Committee-led Bahadurabad group
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia agree to enhance cooperation in energy, mineral sectors
- In recent years, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a leader in the global minerals and energy sectors
- Both sides reaffirm commitment to enhance partnership and promote mutually beneficial investments
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to enhance cooperation in energy and mineral sectors, the Pakistani information ministry said on Friday, as the two sides seek to deepen economic ties and promote joint investment.
The development comes weeks after Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik met Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Ibrahim Alkhorayef at the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh that saw participation from 13 public and private Pakistani firms.
Pakistan petroleum ministry said Alkhorayef had pointed out “vast opportunities” for cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the minerals sector, adding that the Kingdom would support the development of Pakistan’s mining industry through its knowledge and technical expertise.
On Friday, Malik held a meeting with Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan, to discuss areas of mutual cooperation and further strengthen bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries, according to the information ministry.
“Both sides reviewed ongoing collaboration and explored new avenues for cooperation, particularly in the energy and minerals sectors,” it said in a statement. “They reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing economic partnership and promoting mutually beneficial investment opportunities.”
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a leader in the global minerals and energy sectors and accelerated investments in green technologies, sustainable mining practices and international collaborations that are shaping the future of the mines and mineral industry.
Pakistan, on the other hand, organized a minerals summit in April 2025 that saw participation from major international companies, including the Canada-based Barrick Gold and officials from the US, Saudi Arabia, China, Türkiye, UK, Azerbaijan and other nations.
Malik expressed confidence that longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia would translate into tangible outcomes, fostering investment, technology exchange, and sustainable development initiatives for mutual benefit.
Ambassador Al-Malki appreciated Pakistan’s active participation in the Future Minerals Forum, which offered significant opportunities for regional collaboration, according to the statement.
“Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination to further strengthen economic and strategic cooperation in the coming period,” the information ministry added.
