*ISLAMABAD – MQM top leader Ali Raza Abidi has resigned from the partyafter not being fielded as the party’s candidate for the by-election inKarachi’s NA-243.*
He sent his resignation to MQM Convener and IT Minister Khalid MaqboolSiddiqui and also posted a picture of it on Twitter.
The party did not nominate Abidi for the NA-243 by-election and insteadchose another former MNA, Faisal Subzwari instead.
Speaking to SAMAA TV, Abidi said he was being punished for having beenassociated with the party’s PIB faction. Earlier in the year, the party wasdivided into two new factions – Bahadurabad and PIB. The latter was headedby former convener Dr Farooq Sattar.
The two factions reunited before the general elections.
Abidi contested the election from NA-243 but lost to PTI chief and nowPrime Minister Imran Khan. In the last election, he was elected to theNational Assembly from NA-251 Karachi.