Election panel axes Sattar from post
Decision to remove him as convener ‘unjustified, illegal and unconstitutional’, MQM-P politician says
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) yesterday removed Dr Farooq Sattar from the position of convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
A five-member commission headed by the Chief Election Commissioner Justice Sardar Mohammad 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 the decision was based on merit and the ECP had the power to hear the case regarding convenership.
The ECP had rejected interim relief sought by the MQM-P’s Bahadurabad faction in petitions filed against Dr Farooq Sattar on March 2.
The commission resumed hearings on petitions filed by Bahadurabad including one seeking the removal of Sattar as convener by two-thirds majority of the Raabita Committee and replacing him with Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.
Another petition challenged 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 the MQM-P had earlier this month challenged the jurisdiction of the ECP to hear petitions filed by rival MQM-Bahadurabad faction involving internal matters of the party.
On February 27, the ECP had given the Sattar-led PIB faction of the MQM-P two days 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 MQMBahadurabad leaders Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Kanwar Naveed Jameel challenging the intra-party elections organised by Dr Farooq Sattar.