KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday adjourned the hearing of a petition seeking a ban on the MuttahidaQaumiMovementPakistan (MQM-P), as the party`s counsel did not turn up.

Headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, a two-judge bench put off the matter to a date to be later announced by the court`s of fice af ter the judges were informed that barrister Farogh Naseem was unable to attend the hearing as he wasill.

The petition was filed by Maulvi Iqbal Haider, a practicing lawyer and chairman of the Awami Himayat Tehreek Pakistan, who sought a ban on the MQM-P on alleged charges of terrorism.

According to the petitioner, the MQM founder had delivered an anti-Pakistan speech during a hunger strike on August 22, 2016 but the legislators of the party had not raised agitation against their founder.

In reply, MQM-P convener Dr Farooq Sattar told the SHC the party had separated its ways with its founding leader after his anti-Pakistan speech.

Dr Sattar, on behalf of manyparliamentariansofhis party, had submitted in his reply that after Altaf Hussain`s anti-Pakistan slogans, the lawmakers had disassociated themselves from the party supremo.