MQM disassociates itself from ruling PML

Pakistan's influential political party Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Friday disassociated itself from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) with four federal and six provincial ministers submitting their resignations.

The federal and provincial ministers of MQM, which is a dominant party in the Sindh province, sent their resignation letters to President Pervez Musharraf and Sindh Governor Ishrat-ul-Ibad respectively.

MQM's decision was announced less than 24 hours after Musharraf, during his brief visit of Karachi, ruled out possibility of any change in federal and provincial set-up.

MQM, led by London-based Altaf Hussain, has had long-standing differences with Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim.

"The Chief Minister Sindh continues to reject the summaries and files regarding development projects put up by the MQM ministers and advisors.

Instead of solution of the problems and improvement, the situation has worsened," Convener of MQM Coordination Committee Imran Farooq said in a telephonic press conference from London.

Besides the four federal and six provincial ministers, MQM also has six provincial advisors.