ECP Strikes Khalid Maqbool Off MQM-P Leadership List
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has removed Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui’s name as convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) from its official website, leaving the party without a recognised head in the commission’s records.
The Express Tribune reported that MQM-P is now one of 13 political parties with no recognised leader listed by the ECP. The commission acted because the party has not held intra-party elections for five years, and its latest extension to meet the requirement expired on October 15, 2026.
Khalid Maqbool and the five-year rule
MQM-P last held intra-party elections on October 15, 2021. Under the law, political parties must hold these elections at intervals of no more than five years, so the party was required to complete a fresh round by October 15, 2026.
The ECP issued several notices to the party over the delay. MQM-P secured extensions totalling one year at different stages, but the final extension ran out on October 15, 2026, without an election taking place.
The commission has now issued MQM-P a show-cause notice over the failure. The party has submitted its response, and the ECP will decide the next step after considering it. The removal of Siddiqui’s name from the website does not by itself delist the party, but it raises fresh questions about its leadership status in the commission’s official records.
Thirteen parties without a recognised head
The ECP’s updated list of registered parties names 13 organisations without a recognised head. Alongside MQM-P, the list includes the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Pakistan Sunni Tehreek. The other eight are smaller parties with no representation in the national or provincial assemblies.
PTI lost its recognised leadership status after a dispute over its intra-party elections, which led to the party losing its bat electoral symbol in January 2024 when the Supreme Court upheld the ECP’s decision. TLP is also listed without a recognised head. Its former chief, Saad Rizvi, has remained out of public view since a state crackdown after the party’s long march last year, and his detention has not been officially confirmed.
PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai no longer appears as the party’s recognised head either. Achakzai is his party’s only member of the National Assembly, and PkMAP has no representation in any provincial assembly.
What happens next for MQM-P
The immediate question is whether the ECP accepts MQM-P’s response to the show-cause notice. If the commission is not satisfied, it can fix the case for a hearing and decide the matter on merit, which could lead to further action against the party.
The development also lands in the middle of a wider debate about new administrative units in Sindh. MQM-P has called for new administrative units to address urban Sindh’s problems, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has suggested a referendum to settle the question. Naqvi’s referendum proposal has drawn responses from across the political spectrum, while Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has opposed the idea of new provinces.
For now, the party’s standing before the ECP depends on how it answers the show-cause notice and whether it moves quickly to hold the long-delayed intra-party elections.
Why it matters
The ECP’s list is more than a formality. A party without a recognised head faces practical problems in dealing with the commission, from filing nominations to defending its symbol. The fact that 13 parties, including several with seats in parliament, now sit on that list shows how widely the intra-party election rule has been neglected.
The ECP has also been active on the election front elsewhere. The commission has set December 20 for Islamabad’s local government polls, and it has fixed February 7 for local government elections in Punjab. The MQM-P decision shows the commission is willing to act on party compliance as well as on the election calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the ECP remove Khalid Maqbool’s name?
The ECP removed his name because MQM-P failed to hold intra-party elections within the five-year limit. The party last held them on October 15, 2021, and its final extension expired on October 15, 2026.
Has MQM-P been delisted?
No. The party has not been delisted. The ECP has issued a show-cause notice, MQM-P has submitted its response, and the commission will decide the next step after considering it.
Which other major parties lack a recognised head?
PTI, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and Pakistan Sunni Tehreek are also listed without recognised heads, along with eight smaller parties that have no assembly representation.
