KARACHI, May 26: The ordinary PML-Q worker is flabbergasted at the struggle for power among its formerly Nawaz-loyal leaders, which was on Sunday manifested in a bid to take over the Muslim League House.

As the ruling party groups washed their dirty linen in public, the group led by provincial general secretary Capt Haleem Siddiqui on Monday demanded the central leadership to make arrangements for electing new provincial president as according to them Ghous Baksh Mahar ceased to hold that office after accepting the ministerial office.

The demand was made following attempt by a group led by Haleem Adil Shaikh to take over the Muslim League House.

Addressing a news conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, Farooq Awan, one of the four provincial vice presidents of the party, urged Shujaat Hussain to make arrangements for electing a new provincial president because, according to him, as per article 145 of the constitution, Ghous Bux Mahar ceased to hold that office after becoming federal minister.

He also demanded of the provincial general secretary, Haleem Siddiqui, to immediately convene provincial working committee’s meeting to choose acting president following which provincial council would elect permanent president.

Mr Awan, who was flanked by three other vice presidents Badar Iqbal, Abdul Raziq Khan and Haji Mir Hassan Khan, said the attempt to convene a workers’ convention in Muslim League House by Mr Shaikh, who was also deputy coordinator for Karachi, was not authorized as he had no powers to hold such convention.

He claimed that when the news of Mr Shaikh’s intention was reported in the press, Abdul Raziq Khan tried to contact him but in vain. He said that workers pleaded with them not to let the other group to take over the party office and organize a convention without general secretary’s permission.

Mr Awan alleged that the rival group was armed with Kalashnikov, daggers and other weapons. When the matter was reported to the police, they intervened and picked them up along with weapons. These people did not belong to the party, he said.

When the matter was taken up by the provincial general secretary with the high ups, they promised to take severe action against those who were rounded up with weapons.

But he was surprised that in the evening, allegedly at the intervention of some provincial advisor, no case was registered against them. He also protested over the alleged role of one Dhani Bux Pathan, an official attached with the chief minister house in the take-over bid and demanded that he should be immediately penalized for addressing the meeting along with Mr Shaikh.