MQM Farooq Sattar faces an embarrassing blow

MQM Farooq Sattar faces an embarrassing blow

KARACHI - In another blow, the United States embassy has refused to issue a visa to Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar, one of the senior Pakistani politicians.

Sattar, who is facing serious conflicts within his party, had applied for the visa around eight months ago and was called three to four times for the interviews but he apparently could not satisfy the US officials. Now, he has been given a new date for another interview.

The person, in whose name the fourth largest party of Pakistan is registered, is a frequent visitor as he has been visiting the US for 15 days every year for the last 30 years. His two daughters live in the US, local media reported.

However, the US embassy had earlier issued a visa to Sattar’s wife, who left for the US alone after her spouse was denied.

Sattar began his political career in 1987 as the Mayor of Karachi. In 1993, he served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Provincial Assembly of Sindh and had been a member of the provincial and federal cabinet, in various positions, since 1997. He served as the provincial Minister in Sindh government from 1997 to 1999 and as the Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis from 2008 to 2013.