KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) senior leader Mustafa Kamal has announced that he will contest the party chairmanship elections, while also questioning the current leadership structure within the party.
Speaking to media, Mustafa Kamal said that Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui is not the “founder of MQM” and added that he would also participate in the upcoming internal elections for the position of party chairman.
He alleged that Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui is currently serving as both a “legal and illegal” chairman, claiming that his tenure has already expired. He further stated that Siddiqui has reportedly approached the Election Commission multiple times to extend his term, with the latest extension allowing him to remain chairman until October.
Criticising the process, Mustafa Kamal remarked that it is unusual for a party leader to personally approach the Election Commission for tenure extensions, calling it a first-of-its-kind situation in party politics.
He added that leadership should ideally be strong enough not to require repeated extensions and said that due to concerns over internal democracy, he would now contest the chairmanship election himself.
Addressing party matters, Mustafa Kamal clarified that he is currently a member of the MQM-P Central Committee headed by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui.
He also rejected reports of any internal dispute regarding Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, stating that no such issue has been discussed in any Central Committee meeting, and in fact, no formal meeting has been held on the matter so far.
