MQM-P ditches sectors and units for new organisational structure

Doing away with its sector and unit system in Karachi, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has started making changes to its internal organisational structure at district and union committee levels, similar to other mainstream political parties.

MQM-P leaders insist that the move is aimed at strengthening and reorganising the party at plant-level to prepare it for the upcoming general elections.

However, political analysts believe that the party not only wishes to dispel the negative image associated with its sectors and units, but also wants to separate itself entirely from the MQM-London faction with a different organisational structure.

As part of the restructuring of the party, the MQM-P announced on Saturday that it had done away with its sectors and units to form committees for the six districts of the metropolis.

In a general workers gathering in the PIB Colony Ground, party chief Dr Farooq Sattar announced the office-bearers of five district committees for the six districts.

The structure of the MQM-P’s district committee comprises an incharge, two joint incharges, a finance secretary, an office secretary and committee members.

Most of the incharges announced for the district committees are either incumbent MPAs or have served as town nazims and MPAs in the recent past. Women and leaders of various ethnic communities are also represented in these committees.

For District West, the party chose former Orangi Town nazim Abdul Haq to head the 17-member district committee. Arshad Shah, a former MPA and one of the party’s old guards, has been made the incharge for District Central’s 15-member committee.

Osama Qadri, former MPA and Liaquatabad Town nazim, will head the 19-member committee for District East. Kamran Farooq, MPA from PS-111 (Karachi-XXIII), was chosen to head District South’s 15-member committee.

The MQM-P has formed a joint district committee for the Malir and Korangi districts. Khalid Umer, former MPA from Korangi, was announced as incharge for the 20-member committee.

Harmonising the existing local government system in the metropolis, the units and sectors have been changed to union committees and towns respectively, and they will report to the district committees.

MQM-P central leader Syed Aminul Haque told The News that the committees would organise the party at town and union committee levels, and open district offices to run their affairs.

“Through these five district committees, the MQM-P will not only oversee organisational, political and social affairs, but also help prepare for the 2018 general polls.”

Barring the All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation, the Labour Division and the Women Wing, all the committees established for various ethnic communities and other purposes – such as the Muttahida Organising Committee (formerly the Pashtun Punjabi Organising Committee), the Karachi Muzafati Committee, the Gilgit Baltistan Committee and the Elders Wing – have been merged into the newly formed districts, said Haque.

Why restructure

Being among a few political parties in the country that are most organised and have an integrated internal structure, the MQM ran its affairs through 26 sectors and 207 units since its inception in 1984.

However, political analysts and security officials believe that the MQM-P wishes to get rid of the negative image associated with its sectors and units, which are accused of running teams involved in corruption, militancy and other crimes.

Law enforcement agencies (LEAs) have also expressed concerns over the role of sectors and units in the city’s violence. In July 2015, hours after arresting MQM Landhi sector incharge Ruknuddin, the paramilitary Rangers said in a statement: “The MQM’s organising committee empowers its militant wing, which is why its sector incharges and unit incharges are being arrested.”

Also, according to MQM-P leaders, there was an objection that the Pakistan Army uses the terms “sectors” and “units” for the institution’s structure.

During the ongoing operation of the Rangers, a large number of MQM members heading sectors and units have been arrested on charges of target killing, extortion and other crimes.

The situation took a turn for the worse on August 22 last year, when MQM founder Altaf Hussain made a provocative speech, following which LEAs started demolishing the party’s sector and unit offices.

However, some MQM leaders, led by Dr Sattar, distanced themselves from Hussain to form the MQM-P. They said that they believed in clean politics and that there was no room for militancy and corruption within the party.

“The main purpose of reorganising the MQM-P is to produce a political cadre that believes in strengthening the country and democracy,” said Haque.