Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan Head Farooq Sattar won't be attending the party's high-level huddle, which is currently under way in Bahadurabad.
Another party leader Kamran Tessori, while speaking to the media, announced that Sattar won't be chairing the session. Instead, Rabita Committee Kanwar Naveed Jamil is presiding over the session, he said.
The session is being held a day after MQM-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party announced to regroup under "one name, one election symbol." Interestingly, it is being said that Kanwar Naveed also has his reservations against MQM-Pakistan joining hands with PSP.
An official statement from the party stated that Sattar is not in attendance due to "personal commitments."
According to sources, Sattar decided to skip the session due to internal pressure from some of the party members, who threatened to leave the party if Sattar headed it.
Many other members tried to convince Sattar to not succumb to the pressure as it would create a negative image in the media, said sources, but Sattar still chose to skip it.
The high-level meeting is being attended by Khawaja Izhar-ul-Hassan, Wasim Akhtar, Kamran Tessori, Faisal Sabzwari among others.
While other leaders such as Shabbir Qaimkhani and Amir Khan are also missing the session. However, it is expected that Khan will join the meeting once he returns to Pakistan later in the evening.
A consultative meeting of party leaders was summoned on Thursday afternoon to address reservations of its disgruntled leaders on the recently-held joint press conference with Pak Sarzameen Party Chairman Mustafa Kamal.
MQM-P’s party high command will also review the ongoing political developments after the press conference.
According to reports, a majority of the senior party leaders is seeking an explanation from Dr Sattar to inform them whether the party is going to hold an electoral alliance or a merger with the Kamal-led PSP.
