Election Commission removes Farooq Sattar as MQM-P chief

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday removed Farooq Sattar as the convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).

Headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, a five-member bench allowed petitions of MQM Bahadurabad leaders – Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Kanwar Naveed Jameel – through which they challenged Feb 18 intra-party elections of the Sattar-led MQM-P group.

The bench declared the intra party polls null and void through a short order.

It also rejected Sattar’s application questioning the jurisdiction of the commission in intra-party matters.

Sattar through his counsel argued that the electoral body lacked authority to intervene in intra-party conflicts, requesting it to dismiss the petitions.

He further requested the poll supervisory body to decide the case in line with the party’s constitution.

Barrister Faroogh Naseem, who represented the Bahadurabad group, argued that the commission was not a post office and had jurisdiction to decide intra-party conflicts.

The bench had earlier reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides.

Internal rifts within the MQM-P are said to be brewing since the start of this year, but they became much more evident, making headlines when the party virtually split into two factions – Dr Sattar-led PIB and Amir Khan-led Bahadurabad, over the issue of party tickets for the recently-held Senate elections.

As a result, Bahadurabad removed Farooq Sattar as party chief for “violating its constitution and overstepping his authority”.

Afterwards, in a tit for tat move Sattar dissolved the Rabita Committee and announced to hold intra-party elections to elect new party head.

On Feb 19,  the elections were held at KMC Ground in PIB Colony, in which Sattar was re-elected as party convener after securing 9, 500 out of around 12,000 votes cast in the polls.