MQM-P's PIB faction elects Farooq Sattar as convener

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement - Pakistan's (MQM-P) PIB faction on Sunday elected Dr Farooq Sattar as its convener. 

Sattar, who was deposed by the Rabita Committee Sattar on February 11, secured 9,433 votes in the intra-party polls held in Karachi and Hyderabad. 

The Bahadurabad group, however, termed the elections illegal and alleged that they were a 'condemnable effort to divide loyal party workers.'

"The Rabita Committee, alone, can make policy decisions," a statement issued by the splinter group had said.

Of the 45 members contesting the election, 35 have formed the new Rabita Committee, which will appoint deputy conveners of the party today. 

Speaking to workers at KMC Ground, Sattar had said the elections were not just polls but a referendum. "A decision has been made that Rabita Committee and [party] constitution exist as long as there are workers too, and if there is no worker, then there's no Rabita Committee."

Sattar had said that Sunday's referendum will put an end to a feudal, authoritarian mindset in the party.

The infighting between MQM-P's two factions — Sattar-led PIB and Rabita Committee-led Bahadurabad — 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.