HYDERABAD: Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) chairman Sanan Khan Qureshi retained his position in the party election held in Sann on Saturday evening. The entire panel supported by him also swept the election defeating the rival panel, led by senior vice chairman Dr Niaz Kalani.Son of JSQM founder chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi, Sanan had become the party’s chairman after his father’s death under mysterious circumstances on April 7, 2012. Since then, Dr Kalani had been working as senior vice chairman. He held the post of vice chairman until before Bashir Qureshi’s death.

Sanan, who polled 381 votes, fielded his own team of office-bearers against the panel formed by Dr Kalani and secretary general Saghar Hanif Burdi. Dr Kalani got 206 votes against his rival Amjad Mahesar’s 221.

Dr Kalani, earlier, had differences with a senior party leader, Akash Mallah, who remained inactive for a certain period and then disappeared.

Sanan chose Kehar Ansari, a Jeay Sindh Students Federation (JSSF) activist, as the candidate for the slot of secretary general.

Speaking to Dawn by phone after the election, Ansari said: “The outgoing office-bearers were not cooperating with chairman Sanan Qureshi”. Kehar, who obtained 235 votes, said: “Our friends were neglecting the chairman in a technical manner”.

Conceding defeat of his panel, Dr Kalani told Dawn that there were some ‘internal’ issues the party had been facing. He, however, did not comment on the nature of the issues.

He said the election was held in a democratic manner and that he would continue to extend his support and cooperation to the party chairman and his team.

Party sources said that there were rifts within the party even when it was led by Bashir Qureshi.

The other candidates who won the election are Ghulam Sarwar Khushik (vice chairman), Agha Shah Zaman (deputy secretary general), Qari Abdul Hakeem Ghanghro (joint secretary), Momin Samoon (finance secretary), Deedar Sham (press secretary) and Dado Athar (culture secretary).

A 10-member ‘GMist Council’ was also elected on Saturday evening. The elected members are Khalil Ansari, Dr Ilyas Tunio, Ghaffar Chandio, Munir Shaikh, Dr Riaz Mirani, Nazir Loond, Hidayat Tunio, Dr Ayaz Junejo, Shama Bilawali and Yaqoob Arbani.

Dr Kalani’s panel didn’t participate in the GMist Council election.

Later, election committee chairman Shabbir Shar administered the oath to the new JSQM office-bearers.

Speaking to reporters, Sanan Qureshi vowed to carry forward his late father’s mission and promised to take along all party colleagues who lost in the election.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2017