KARACHI - The Muttahida Qaumi Movement has postponed its November 14 referendum as a sign of respect for the upcoming sacred month of Muharram, its coordination committee announced on Saturday.
The new date for the referendum – being conducted to ascertain whether the Pakistanis wanted the Quaid’s Pakistan or that of the Taliban – would be announced at a later stage. Observing that party leaders, its elected representatives and office-bearers would be busy in meeting with religious scholars in order to ensure sectarian harmony during the holy month, the committee unanimously decided to defer the referendum. According to a press release, the decision was taken during a meeting of MQM’s Pakistan and London coordination committees on Friday.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain meanwhile endorsed the committee’s decision. The referendum, initially scheduled for November 8, was rescheduled to November 14, as the date clashed with the country’s most prominent arms fair- IDEAS 2012.