HYDERABAD: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan (JUP) of the late Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani has split into two factions with one group headed by party’s former president Sahibzada Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair and the other, said to be led by Awais Ahmed Noorani, will elect its president on March 2.

The split is the outcome of differences between Sahibzada Zubair and Awais Noorani over disciplinary action taken by the party against its office-bearers Shabbir Abu Talib, Qazi Ahmed Noorani, Aqeel Anjum, Bashirul Qadir and Tahir Rasheed Tanoli.

Another point of contention is said to be Awais Noorani’s insistence to allow Abdul Rehman Rajput to rejoin the party. Mr Rajput had left the party after his election to the Sindh Assembly on a Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s (MMA) ticket, a coalition of religious parties including the JUP.

Sahibzada Zubair who claims to be the incumbent president of the party has opposed the action taken against the office-bearers and said they were removed in an unconstitutional manner. He said the meeting which had decided to take action against these people had been held without his consent. “These people were close associates of Shah Ahmed Noorani and taking action against them by a meeting chaired by Awais Noorani is unconstitutional,” he added.

He said even though his three-year term as JUP president would end in May this year he had plans to hold elections for March 23. Awais Noorani, the younger son of Shah Ahmed Noorani, contradicted Sahibzada Zubair’s claim and said that his term as JUP president had expired on Dec 28 last year.

He said if Sahibzada Zubair wanted to continue to hold the position he should take part in the party’s central body elections to be held on March 2.

Talking to Dawn on phone, he said the JUP was still intact and only 15 to 20 of its members had formed their own group. He criticised the performance of Sahibzada Zubair as president of the party.

Sahibzada Zubair who was elected to the National Assembly in 2002’s general elections as an MMA candidate has named his faction as JUP-Noorani.

The faction held elections for its Sindh’s chapter on Sunday and Mufti Abdul Nabi was elected as president, Maulana Mashooq Ali as senior vice president and Syed Aqeel Anjum Qadir as general secretary.

Party sources said that before forming their own factions of JUP, Sahibzada Zubair and Awais Noorani held a meeting but failed to resolve issues. The JUP represents people of Barelvi school of thought and the party had a strong following, especially in Karachi and Hyderabad, till the formation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement in 1980s.