KARACHI, FEB 13 (DNA) – Dr Farooq Sattar, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQMP) chief has written to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday asserting that he had dissolved rabita committee of the political organisation on February 11 and intra-party polls are scheduled for February 17.

As MQMP stands divided in two factions namely, PIB Colony group and Bahadurabad office, Dr Sattar has written to the commission informing the authority of having dissolved the coordination committee and scheduled intra-party elections on later this week.

According to the letter written to the ECP, Dr Sattar had announced dissolution of rabita committee as convener of the party, in his address to general workers’ convention on February 13.

MQMP chief has stated that intra-party polls are scheduled to be held on February 17. Reportedly, the letter has copies attached along of resolutions passed in the workers convention. The commission is also provided with video evidence of the convention and announcement of MQMP chief.

Letter by Dr Sattar has been dispatched a day after Bahadurabad faction of the political front filed with ECP a petition seeking to replace Dr Sattar as convener with Khalid Maqbool Siddique in the documents.

The faction had approached the authority for change of name after deputy conveners of rabita committee removed MQMP chief as party’s convener, announcement of which was made in a press conference addressed by Kanwar Naveed Jamil and Siddique among other dissenting leaders.

Bahadurabad faction, led by senior deputy convener Amir Khan and ‘convener’ Siddique has announced to rally in Eidgah Ground of Karachi’s Nazimabad on February 16 as a show of power of the group against Dr Sattar’s address to the general workers’ convention.

Siddique, whose appointment as convener of the party in place of Dr Sattar is yet to be affirmed by the election commission, has said that the authority would decide which faction is the ‘real’ political front.

Amir Khan has objected to holding of intra-party elections recalling the fact that the political party did not undergo any polls within the organisation after August 22, 2016, when Dr Sattar replaced Nadeem Nusrat as party’s convener.

MQMP would take a decision in accordance with the party constitution, Khan added.

Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar who has sided with Bahadurabad division has accused Dr Sattar-led faction of instructing representatives of local bodies to not attend Eidgah Ground rally.

He further said that he does not fear a no-confidence motion against him which is plausible. The mayor warned officials of the government in provincial departments to not conduct politics.

The two factions are contesting each other in the election commission to retain electoral symbol of MQMP; a kite.