KARACHI, May 30: Differences between the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League Sindh chapter resurfaced when PML Election Committee Chairman Senator Kamil Ali Agha paid a visit to the PML House to review arrangements for initiating election process in the party from June 15.
Insiders claimed that although PML leader Tariq Azim and Mohammadmian Soomro were instrumental in ceasefire between Sindh PML President Dr Arbab Rahim and his estranged secretary-general Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh, the rehabilitation process is yet to be initiated and differences between the two continue simmering under the carpet.
The one facet of the differences re-appeared last month during the party meeting held in Islamabad when Imtiaz Shaikh’s group raised objection for inducting Senator Ghaffar Qureshi, who is also additional secretary-general of PML- Sindh chapter, in the PML Election Committee along with Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Mushtaq Ghani, Iqbal Dar and Mrs Yaqut Jamil.
Sources said the Shaikh group was of the view that while other members of the election commission were PML central office-bearers, the induction of Ghaffar Qureshi was to favour their rival group as such in the presence of Mr Qureshi the entire exercise of the party election in Sindh would become doubtful.
The group was of the view that Ghaffar Qureshi should be replaced by Senator Nisar Memon so that fair and free elections could be held as he was not a party to any group.
At the meeting, the party leadership had assured to consider their objection but no decision had been taken so far, the sources pointed out. They said on Monday when Shaikh group-led by Al-Haj Shamimuddin and Lala Mir Hasan tried to convey their feelings to PML EC chief Kamil Ali Agha, they were resisted by the supporters of Ghaffar Qureshi group resulting in unpleasant situation.
It may be recalled that according to the election schedule, the union council and city level elections in the party would be completed by June 15 while district level by July 1 and provincial level by July 25 so that PML central leadership election should be completed by Aug 12.
Shujaat Hussain, who is incumbent president, will be completing his tenure in May 2007 as he was elected on May 12, 2004, for three years as party chief.
