MQM forms 'supreme council' empowered to issue guidelines in absence of party chief

Body will issue guidelines to all members in 'extraordinary circumstances including absence of party chief'

KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has appointed senior leader Nadeem Nusrat as a permanent convener of the party, while forming a nine-member supreme council during an emergency meeting of the London-based Rabita Committee; under the chair of party supremo Altaf Hussain.

The decision comes at a time when the party supremo is to appear for his hearing in a money laundering case due on February 2 when his bail ends.

Altaf endorsed the formation of supreme council which will be empowered to issue guidelines to all the leaders and workers of the party in any “extraordinary circumstances including the absence of the party chief,” a press statement said on Sunday.



The nine-member council include party convener Nadeem Nusrat, senior deputy convener Dr Farooq Sattar, Barrister Dr Farogh Naseem, Senator Nasreen Jalil, Kunwar Naveed, Rauf Siddiqui, Babar Ghauri, Kishwar Zehra and Iftikhar Hussain Qureshi, the statement read.

Further, the formation of the supreme council will not affect the working of the Rabita Committee, which will continue its activities without any hindrances, it added. The party head also directed the leadership and the workers of the MQM to remain united and carry out their responsibilities with utmost sincerity and diligence.

Meanwhile, some party leaders are being called to London in relation with Altaf's appearance before investigators, MQM leader Wasay Jalil who was earlier questioned by Rangers, has left for London while Dr Farooq Sattar and Rauf Siddiqui will soon leave.



Earlier this month, the party had announced to change its internal organisational structure and renaming of various tiers in an apparent bid to get rid of the bad image associated with its units and sectors.

The move came following directives by law enforcement agencies, who had shared their concerns about the party’s units and sectors, which are accused of running teams of militants involved in corruption and criminal activities.

During the ongoing Rangers operation, a large number of men heading these units and sectors have been arrested on charges of target killing, ‘china-cutting’, extortion and arson, such as the Baldia factory fire that claimed 259 lives.

The MQM has more than 200 units and 26 sectors in the city. Every unit will be equal to a union committee, which will report to the central executive committee.



The MQM’s organisational system of unit and sectors, aimed at reaching people at the grass-roots level, goes back to the 1980s when it was formed as the Mohajir Qaumi Movement. These units and sectors reported to the Central Committee then, which was disbanded after the operation in the 1990s.