Babar Ghauri. Photo: File 

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Babar Ghauri announced on Sunday that he will no longer be associated with the party. 

In a statement, Ghauri said he has resigned from his basic party membership and is relieving himself of all official responsibilities within the MQM.

Ghauri said further that the reasons for leaving the party are purely personal, adding that he will not be joining any political party and group for now. 

Ghauri has remained as the federal minister for ports and shipping, as well as a lawmaker in the provincial and national assemblies, and the Senate. 

Talking to Geo News from the United States, Ghauri said he has been politically inactive for around a year. 

In response to a question whether he is resigning from MQM-London, he said: "there is only one MQM and that is in London". He added that he has never been a part of the MQM that is working out of Pakistan. 

However, he seemed sympathetic towards the creation of MQM-Pakistan, saying, "I understand why they did what they did".

He said it will be good if the MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP)'s merger succeeds as the Mohajir community is being neglected.

Salman Mujahid joins PSP after being expelled from MQM-P

PSP chief Mustafa Kamal said people defect to their party every day from MQM-P

The MQM split into two factions after a controversial speech by its London-based founder in August 2016. 

Moreover, the Pakistan-based MQM recently announced a short-lived 'alliance' with PSP, which was formed by former MQM leaders Mustafa Kamal and Anis Kaimkhani in 2016 and has been pulling serving and former MQM members into the party ever since.