DADU: Pakistan Peoples Party Dadu taluka president Saifullah Panhwar was removed as chairman of the town’s market committee amid a controversy involving senior party leaders Pir Mazharul Haq, son MPA Pir Mujeebul Haq and their rivals within the party.

Mr Panhwar’s removal came in a notification issued by the provincial government on Saturday. He held the position for about six years with the support of Pir Mazharul Haq.

PPP Dadu district vice president Ghulam Shabbir Abro, backed by MNA Rafique Ahmed Jamali, has been posted as the market committee chairman.

A large number of PPP activists led by Mr Panhwar held a protest demonstration and some of them started a hunger strike outside the local press club in protest against the chief minister’s move.

Mr Panhwar urged the party chairman, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, to look into his removal and termed the move ‘political victimisation’.

Jubilant supporters of Mr Abro distributed sweets and took out a rally to express their happiness. Mr Abro told this reporter that the decision to remove Mr Panhwar was taken after increasing complaints of corruption against him.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2014