KARACHI - Muttahida Qaumi Movemnet-Pakistan considers new names for the nomination in the upcoming senate election, The Nation has learnt.

Talking to this scribe on Wednesday, MQM-P legislator Ali Raza Abidi said that the differences among the party leadership sorted out. Leadership is rethinking over the names of candidates and considers new names, he added.

He said that the names of previously nominated candidates would replace with the some natural candidates for the Senate elections.

Meanwhile, MQM-P spokesmen told The Nation that meeting of party coordination committee is underway to discuss the future strategy of the MQM-P regarding the nomination of the candidates for the upcoming Senate election. He informed that MQM-P Senior Deputy convener Amir Khan is chairing the meeting along with deputy convener and members of coordination committee that includes Kanwar Naveed Jameel, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Kaiful Wara, Waseem Akhter, Shabbir Qaimkhani, Rauf Siddiqui, Khawajha Izharul Hassan, Faisal Sabzwari, Jawaid Hanif and others. He said that a three-member delegates of coordination committee comprising Khawajha Izharul Hassan, Rauf Siddiqui and Jawaid Hanif from Bahadurabad visited Convener Farooq Sattar’s residence to continue the consultation over the award of Senate tickets.  So far Dr Sattar has given some suggestions to the delegates but refused to attend the meeting expressing anger over what he terms the violation of party discipline, he added.

He further informed that currently the meeting held to review the situation is screening all the suggestions while the decision of MQM-P leader Shabir Qaimkhani to withdraw his name from nomination of Senate election was also in discussion.

On Wednesday, after surfacing of two major groups in MQM-Pakistan one led by convener Dr Farooq Sattar other by Senior deputy convener Amir Khan, the leaders were found narrating the agenda that MQM-P is united but failed explain as to why there is a division in the party ranks on issue of tickets for the upcoming Senate elections.

Waseem Akhter who also holds the slot of Mayor Karachi, while talking to the media men at MQM-P office in locality of Bahadurabad Karachi said that there was a key value of the party decision making body and it has been tasked to finalised the decisions. There is no formula to practice or follow single person decision as party believes in the opinions and suggestion of majority, said Waseem adding that what party convener Dr Farooq Sattar is demanding is not going happen.

During the day, MQM-P leaders during interaction with the media men authenticated that party was untied. MQM-P leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan said that workers would not be divided in any circumstances. We are united and shall remain untied, claimed Izhar adding that party coordination committee making all out efforts to eliminate the crisis which is not division but actually differences over some decisions taken by MQM-P convener.

It is pertinent to mention here that split in MQM-P became visible on Monday following the dispute over the issue of tickets for the upcoming Senate elections. The party decision making body during a meeting at Party headquarter Bahadurabad came up with the decision to award tickets to party leaders Farogh Naseem, Nasreen Jalil, Ameenul Haq and Shabbir Qaimkhani. However party convener Dr Farooq Sattar suggested name of deputy convener Kamran Tessori for the ticket. This indulged the MQM-P coordination committee members in to arguments which forced Sattar to leave the meeting without concluding the decision.

Sattar came up with the statement that the meeting held at party office Bahadurabad was unconstitutional and members violated party discipline by not endorsing party chief decision. Sattar called for a workers meeting at PMC ground in locality of PIB colony which was later canceled whereas the leadership present at Bahadarbad at the same instant announced to suspend the Kamran Tessori for six month over violating party discipline and adopted a stance that Dr Farooq Sattar even having the slot of the party convener cannot award to ticket on his desire as the decision making body is also present to finalize the matter.

On the other hand, Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhter, Chairman District Korangi Nayar Raza, Chairman District East Muaid Anwar, Chairman District Central Rehan Hashmi instead of spending time in their offices to evaluate the municipal works in their respective areas were seen active in resolving the internal party rifts emerged on the issue of tickets for the upcoming Senate elections.

Furthermore, the entire elected setup of elected local government was also witnessed divided over the recent development as Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhter along with Muid Anwar and Nayar Raza has stayed at party temporary headquarter at Bahadarabad giving moral support to Amir Khan while Rehan Hashmi was seen active at the residence of MQM-P convener Dr Farooq Sattar.

During the day, very low attendance was witnessed at the municipal authorities’ offices whereas the staffer those came to the office left their seats early due to the absence of Chairmen and Mayor Karachi. The absence during the last two days at the KMC and DMCs offices has created trouble for masses and they were returned back home as no one was present to address their problems.