KARACHI - Rift within Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) continues as two newly-emerged groups field nomination papers of candidates separately for upcoming Senate elections.
According to details, MQM-P convener Dr Farooq Sattar and party coordination committee members reached Election Commission office on Thursday to file the nomination papers of their respective candidates.
Normal interaction between members of the two groups was witnessed as they both the side limited themselves to formal meet up. At an instant MQM-P leader Faisal Sabzwari interacted with MQM-P convener and cried while putting his head on Sattar‘s shoulder. It is very embarrassing situation but I will put all my efforts to keep party united as I am elder one, said Sattar during conversation with Sabzwari. The entire situation at the EC office confirmed that the rifts between the two groups were still there and nothing has been progressed over the dispute of the nomination of candidates for Senate election.
MQM-P Farooq Sattar has nominated candidates include Kamran Tessori, Ali Raza Abidi, Hassan Feroz, Ahmed Chinoi, Kashwar Zehra, Mangla Sharma, Sanjay Parvani, Farhan Chisti and Dr Nighat. However, the disgruntled faction led by Amir Khan has nominated Farooq Naseem, Nasreen Jalil, Abdul Qadir Khanzada, Aminul Haq and Amir Chishti.
Later, talking to the media men, MQM-P convener Dr Farooq Sattar said: “Opponent has celebrated over recent situation emerged over the issue of nominations. In fact matter is about the difference of opinion whereas some people were terming it rifts between the party and appearance of groups within the party ranks.”
“After the surfacing of issue over the media an impression has been developed as this dispute is not going to be resolved but MQM-P carries a significant discipline and hopefully the matter would be resolved after consultation and dialogues,” he added.
Sattar informed that MQM-P deputy convener Kamran Tessori and other leaders have authorised him to take decision over their nomination as candidate for Senate polls and it should be remember that Convener or Chief of the party has right to make the final decision after listening to the suggestion made by the decision making body of the party.
“We have separately submitted the papers and will finalise the names of candidates later after the consultation with coordination committee members,” said Sattar adding that MQM was one and will remain one. He further said that about 17 nominations have been submitted in the Election Commission from the both side and after the final decision the remaining would be withdrawn by the party. We never took dictation from anyone and nor will, Senate elections in point of facts are net practice of the final match and MQM will perform well in the field, added Sattar. To a question about the Amir Khan, he said that members of decision making body hold a respective position while opponents tried to manipulate the situation by terming it a war like situation in the party ranks.
MQM-P convener said: “It is unfortunate that party has been damaged in the last few days as reports remained circulating in the media about the merger of MQM-P with PSP. Convener should be allowed to make decisions in certain matters.”
On the other hand, MQM-P leader and member coordination committee Faisal Sabzwari outside the Provincial Election Commission office told the media men that matters had not yet been resolved but it was a good sign that party convener Sattar agreed to chair party meeting at party office Bahadurabad Karachi.
The situation could lead to worse if the disagreement continued, warned Faisal and admitted that the issues were still there and need to be resolve at earliest. He said that party coordination committee would not let the disintegration happen whereas it not right to stick to the wrongdoing. He said party supporters were aware of the actual situation and it was regrettable that MQM-P position had been damaged in last four days. We might take extreme step but will not move towards separation and that why we had kept the doors open for Dr Farooq Sattar, he added.
“So far it has been decided that both MQM-P will present their nominated names in a meeting scheduled to be chaired by party convener Dr Farooq Sattar in which name would be finalised with mutual understanding.
Internal party sources pointed out that appropriate responsibility of rifts among the party leaders was Kamran Tessori who had given a key slot of party deputy convener despite he is new in the party ranks. Earlier, the party convener neglected the other senior leaders to appoint for the key organisational slots while it was surprising that once again the party convener enforced his decision to award ticket to Karman Tessori for the Senate election ignoring the other leaders those carries series of sacrifices for MQM-P.
They further informed that coordination committee had put all the efforts to bring Sattar on the same page however the reconcile went in vain as MQM-P Convener remains tact on his position to award ticket to Kamran Tessori along with the threats that he would reveal numerous secrets if he would be forced to change his decision.
Moreover, on Thursday as many as 44 candidates of some six political parties file their nominations for the twelve vacant seats of the senate. The election of Sindh seats would be held on March 4.
The parties participated in the electoral process include Pakistan People Party (PPP) which has submitted the papers of some 20 candidates, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Farooq Sattar group filed 9 members, while MQM coordination committee submitted the names of seven of their candidates. Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) also submitted the nomination papers of their six candidates while Muslim League Nawaz proposed the names of two candidates while Pakistan Tehreek –e-Insaf and Muslim League Functional submitted the each of their candidates for the upcoming senate elections.
The nomination papers have been filed for the twelve vacant seats including seven general seats, two technocrats, two women seats and a seat of minority.
Political parties submitted the papers of 23 candidates for seven general seats, nine women candidates of the different parties would contest for the two seats, and eleven candidates file their nomination papers for two technocrat seats while four candidates file their nomination papers for single minority seat.
For seven general seats PPP submitted the papers of Mian Raza Rabbani, Mola Bux Chandio, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, Syed Muhammad Ali Shah Jamot, Imamudin Shoqeen, Ayaz Ahmed Mehar, Murtaza Wahab, Dost Ali, Muhammad Qasim and Javaid Nayab Laghari. Muslim League Functional’s Muzafar Hussain Shah, PSP candidate Syed Muzafar Ima, Muslim League N, Muhammad Asif Khan, and Babu Sarfarz Jatoi.
MQM Farooq Sattar candidates including Kamran Tesori, Ahmed Chinoye, Farhan Chishti, while MQM coordination committee proposed the names of Syed Amin-ul-Haq, Barrister Farogh Naseem, Amir Waliudin Chishti,. PSP candidates including Dr Saghir Ahmed, Hassan Sabir Advocate and Anees Ahmed Khan. PPP women seats candidates including Quratulain Marri, Kaisho Bai, Nida Khoro, Humara Alvani. MQM Farooq Sattar candidates for women seats were including Nighat Shakeel Khan, Mangla Sharma and Kishwar Zehra while MQM coordination Committee candidate Nasreen Jalil submitted the nomination papers. PPP candidates for technocrat seats include Dr Sikander Mindhro, Rukhsana Zubari, Dr, Younas Hyder Soomro and Taj Hayder. MQM Coordination Committee candidates Dr Abdul Qadir Khanzada and Barrister Farogh Naseem while Farooq Sattar candidates including Ahmed Chinoye, Syed Ali Raza Abidi and Justice (r) Hassan Feroz submitted the papers for technocrat seats.
PTI Najeeb Haroon and PSP candidate Sofia Saeed Advocate also contesting for the technocrat seats. PPP candidates Anwar Lal Den and Anthony Naveed, PSP candidate Mohan Manjiyani and MQM candidate Sanje Pervani would contest for the seat of minority.
FARRAZ ISRAR