ECP removes Farooq Sattar as MQM-P Convener
ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT ONLINE):The Election Commission of
Pakistan (ECP) on Monday removed Dr Farooq Sattar as the convener of the
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
A five-member commission headed
by the Chief Election Commissioner Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza also rejected the
Farooq Sattar’s application challenging the ECP’s jurisdiction to hear the
petitions involving internal matters of the party.
The commission said that the decision
was based on merit and that the ECP has power to hear the case regarding convenership.
It is pertinent to mention here
that the Election Commission of Pakistan had rejected interim relief sought by
Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P)’s Bahadurabad faction in petitions
filed against Dr Farooq Sattar on March 2.
The commission resumed hearing
pertaining to petitions filed by Bahadurabad including removal of Sattar as
convener by two-third majority of the Raabita Committee and replacing him with
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and the other challenges February 18 intra-party
elections held under the leadership of Sattar – an election that he won by a
heavy margin, becoming the party convener.
During the proceedings, Barrister
Farogh Naseem of the Bahadurabad faction requested the commission to clear
confusion on the party chief issue.
Farooq Sattar, chief of his own
faction of MQM-P had earlier this month challenged the jurisdiction of ECP to
hear petitions filed by rival MQM-Bahadurabad faction involving internal
matters of the party.
On February 27, the ECP had given
two days to Sattar-led PIB faction of the MQM-P to submit replies to petitions
filed by the Bahadurabad group led by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui against it.
The ECP admitted for hearing the
applications of MQM-Bahadurabad leaders Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Kanwar
Naveed Jameel challenging the intra-party elections organised by Dr Farooq Sattar.
Speaking to media after the
decision was announced, Syed Ali Raza Abidi of PIB faction said they will
challenge the ECP verdict in Supreme Court and said that the ECP is not a trail
court to take up intra-party matters.