KARACHI, May 30: The Pakistan Muslim League (Q) on Friday split into two rival groups, one led by the party’s provincial president, and Railways Minister, Sardar Ghous Bakhsh Mahar, and the other by secretary-general, Capt Haleem Siddiqui.

Both held separate meetings to counter each other’s strategy and muster support of the party high command in their favour.

The meeting held at the residence of PML(Q) Sindh’s chief organiser Maqbool Ahmad Shaikh demanded of the party bosses to nominate a new president of the PML(Q) Sindh chapter in place of Mr Mahar as the party members refused to accept him as their chief.

The meeting was presided over by vice-president Haji Mir Hasan Khan.

A resolution adopted at the meeting said that under article 145 of the PML constitution, Mr Mahar ceased to be a party office-bearer after becoming a minister.

It urged the party’s secretary-general Salim Saifullah Khan not to side with any group, and play his role in ridding the party of black sheep.

Those who delivered speeches at the meeting included Haji Mir Hasan, Maqbool Ahmad Shaikh, Badar Iqbal, Chaudhry Shahid Yunus, Dr Raza Channa and Latif Butt.

The other meeting, held at the residence of Mr Mahar, could not proceed smoothly as the host and K.S. Mujahid Baloch had an altercation, which resulted in the meeting being ended abruptly.

Others present on this occasion were Sahibzada Munir, Raziq Khan and Haleem Adil Shaikh. When Dawn tried to reach the minister by phone, his watchman replied that the Sahib had left for his ancestral hometown in the evening.