ISLAMABAD -  The Election Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday directed MQM-P Convenor Dr Farooq Sattar to submit his reply to the Commission by March 1 in response to the petition filed by his rival group challenging his party leadership.

The ECP bench after hearing the case directed Dr Farooq Sattar to submit his reply by March 1 for further proceedings in the case.

During the hearing on Tuesday, Sattar’s lawyer Advocate Babar Sattar sought time to submit the reply. After this, Barrister Farogh Naseem, representing Bahadurabad group, reminded the commission that the matter should be resolved before the Senate elections on March 3.

The court then set March 1 for the submission of Farooq Sattar’s reply.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, Farooq Sattar’s lawyer Babbar Sattar said that limited time had been granted for the submission of the response on two petitions filed against his client. “The ECP has given us limited time to file the response,” Sattar said.

Barrister Farogh Naseem, on the other hand, said that Sattar was given a notice 10 days ago but he did not appear in person for Tuesday’s hearing. He claimed that 95 per cent of the party supported Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui. “He is duly the elected-convener,” Farogh Naseem told the media. He was elected through a procedure that follows the party constitution,” he added.

The hearing was attended by Rauf Siddiqui, Aamir Khan, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Waseem Akhtar of the Bahadurabad faction while Syed Ali Raza Abidi, Syed Iqbal Qadri, Kamran Tessori and Kishwar Zehra represented the PIB.

Talking to media persons after the hearing, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that the ECP’s decision would be final and acceptable to all parties.

“This is a discussion on a few issues between brothers,” he said. “We can solve this matter both directly and through the ECP.” Siddiqui further stated that the party’s Bahadurabad faction was open to negotiations.

Similarly, Kamran Tessori also maintained that both the factions will accept the decision of ECP. He added that one thing was clear between both the groups that the party will not be divided.

Differences between the two factions of the party -Rabita Committee-led Bahadurabad and Sattar-led PIB groups - emerged over distribution of tickets for the upcoming Senate elections.

The Rabita Committee strongly opposed Sattar’s decision to give a ticket to newcomer Kamran Tessori.