KARACHI, May 25: An armed attempt by a group opposed to Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader Cap (retd) Haleem Siddqui to take over PML House in KDA Scheme-1 was foiled by police on Sunday.

The police intervened in time to avoid a clash between supporters of the two groups. Some two dozen members of both the groups were taken into custody, but were subsequently let off when someone from high up made a phone call.

As the situation was brought under control, the PML Sindh’s secretary-general Haleem Siddiqui told party workers that it was for the first time that an armed attempt had been made to take over the PML House.

He demanded that those arrested with arms on their persons be taken to task.

Capt Siddiqui said they had no differences with Chief Minister Ali Muhammad Mahar or Ghous Bakhsh Mahar, and Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was “our elected president.”

He pointed out that the chief minister had deputed one of the ministers for solving problems of the party workers.

Referring to the incident, he said some elements were conspiring to drive a wedge between the party workers and their leaders, “but their conspiracy would be foiled.”

He asked party workers to remain peaceful, and announced a disciplinary action against those involved in the incident.

He suspended Halim Adil Shaikh from the office of PML(Q) Malir president and appointed district Malir secretary Muhammad Urs Khero to assume the charge of acting president.

He also nominated PML district west president Muhammad Latif Butt as in-charge of the PML House where no programme could be organized without his permission.

He also appointed a three-member inquiry committee comprising Sahibzada Munir, Mustijab Ahsan and Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi to probe into the episode, fix responsibility and submit a report within a week.

Others who spoke on the occasion were Haji Mir Hasan Khan, Begum Rahat Javed, Farooq Awan, Sabir Rajput, Latif Butt, Rana Iqbal and others.