MQM-P’s Bahadurabad faction terms Sattar-led party polls illegal

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KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan’s (MQM-P) Bahadurabad faction on Sunday termed the PIB-camp led intra-party polls illegal.

A statement issued by the Bahadurabad faction alleged that the party polls – announced by Dr Farooq Sattar – were a ‘condemnable effort to divide loyal party workers.’

The polling for MQM-P’s intra-party elections to elect the Rabita Committee and Central Executive Committee is underway.

The infighting between MQM-P’s two factions — Sattar-led PIB and Rabita Committee-led Bahudarabad — started over the issue of distribution of party tickets for next month’s Senate elections. The latter had strongly opposed Sattar’s nomination of the relative newcomer Kamran Tessori over seasoned party leaders.

Sattar, on February 11, had announced the decision to dissolve the party’s Rabita Committee during a general workers’ meeting, hours after members of the coordination committee at the party’s Bahadurabad office said he was no longer the convener of the party.

Khawaja Izhar, Sardar Ahmed’s meeting with Sattar futile

The latest efforts of MQM-P’S leaders Sardar Ahmed and Khawaja Izharul Hassan to reconcile differences with Dr Farooq Sattar remained futile.

Sattar stood by his group’s decision to hold intra-party elections today (Sunday).

“I’m not from UP, I’m a Gujrat-born,” he said. “I don’t want to become Altaf Hussain but also want to turn into Mamnoon Hussain.”

MQM-P’s deposed convener, on Thursday, had denied reports of meeting Sindh Minister for Local Government Jam Khan Shoro and asking him for a list of MQM-P workers serving on government posts.

He insisted that party activists serving in government departments are being misled and called on the “owners and editor” of a private news channel to demand resignation from the reporter behind the story.

Commenting on allegations by the Bahadurabad faction of the party, Sattar had said he had clearly instructed his affiliates to abstain from issuing unnecessary statements.