Party abolishes post of convener, revives chairman, general secretary slots.

KARACHI   -   Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has been elected as the chairman of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) as major changes were made in the party’s organisational structure, according to a statement issued by a party’s spokesperson on Sunday. The MQM-P has abolished the post of convener and revived structure consisting of chairman, vice chairman and secretary general posts.

In a statement, the spokesperson said the central committee appointed Siddiqui as the chairman of the MQM-P. The development during a central committee meeting chaired by Siddiqui held at Pakistan House in Karachi. The meeting was attended by top party leaders including Mustafa Kamal, Farooq Sattar, Nasreen Jalil, Anis Qaimkhani, Faisal Sabzwari, Aminul Haque, Rizwan Babar and others, the spokesperson added.

The huddle also decided to form a high-level central council to deal with organisational and political issues.

The party spokesperson said the names of the members of the central council will be announced soon.

Earlier in March this year, the MQM-P dissolved its Rabita Committee — the party’s top decision-making body — after two audio leaks surfaced of the body’s meetings.

A source within the party had confirmed to a private TV channel that the Rabita Committee was dissolved due to audio leaks. Two audio leaks — one of Kamal and another of Sindh Governor and MQM-P leader Kamran Tessori — of the Rabita Committee’s meetings went viral on social media earlier this year. Both leaders had admitted that their audio leaks were genuine, but Kamal had gone ahead and alleged that it was released by a member of the MQM-London who was also a member of the Rabita Committee.