IHC suspends ECP's decision against Farooq Sattar

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court Thursday suspended the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to remove Farooq Sattar as convener of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and sought reply from respondents on April 11.

Justice Aamer Farooq of IHC heard the case filed by Farooq Sattar challenging the ECP decision for removing him as party convener.

During the proceeding, the petitioner's counsel Baber Sattar contended that ECP had no legal right to interfere into the internal affairs of any political party. He stated that the ECP had no right to hear the case filed by a person, who claimed to be the party's head, whereas MQM-P was registered in the name of his client.

He argued that such person could approach a civil court to file a case for such claim. Baber Sattar stated, however, if the ECP wanted they were ready to organize intra party elections again.

He requested the bench to suspend the ECP decision against Farooq Sattar till the announcement of IHC judgment in the case.

After hearing the arguments, the court issued stay order against the ECP decision restoring Farooq Sattar as MQM-P convener and sought reply from the ECP, Kanwar Naveed Jameel, MQM-P convener Bahadurabad Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui by April 11.

It may be mentioned here that the ECP voided Dr Farooq Sattar's convenership while hearing the pleas filed by Kanwar Naveed Jameel and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of MQM's Bahadurabad Group and also annulled the intra-party elections of the PIB Group as well.