HYDERABAD: Another faction has broken away from Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz-Bashir, which had already bifurcated into Arisar and Bashir groups, a fortnight before the 121st birth anniversary of G.M. Syed, founder of Jeay Sindh Tehreek.

The new group is headed by Dr Niaz Kalani, a former confidante of late Bashir Khan Qureshi who lately developed differences with late Bashir`s son, Sanan Qureshi.

Sanan has held the reins of JSQMBashir since the death of his father under mysterious circumstances in April 2012.

Bashir was hosted by his party friends in Dari Magsi village of Sakrand taluka of now Benazirabad district. He felt sudden pain in chest and was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. His party leadership had refused to accept the cause of his death as cardiac arrest.

Sanan was too young to lead the party and Dr Kalani, a trusted friend of BashirQureshi, found it hard to get along with his son after Bashir`s death. `The last election in the party was held on June 3, 2017, and since then I had been pressing for holding the polls but my calls had fallen on deaf ears,` Kalani told Dawn on Wednesday. He was chosen as chief organiser of JSQM-Shaheed Bashir Khan by a congress held in Sann, Jamshoro district on Jan 4.

According to Sanan, after his father`s death his close associates like Dr Safdar Sarki and ShafiKarnani too had deserted him. `Today some more friends have left him. Perhaps, they can establish Sindhudesh more quickly,` he replied when reached over phone.

Stating that he would get back with a detailed reply soon, he was the constitutional had of the JSQM-Bashir.

Dr Safdar Sarki was JSQM-Bashir`s secretary general and remained missing for a long period. Qureshi had led a campaign to seek his release. When he was finally released, he left for England after his brief stay in Sindh. Kalani has been senior vice chairman of JSQM-Bashir.

`I quit Jeay Sindh Rahbar Committeeon Sanan`s insistence. Perhaps the most painful phase in our relations came when Sanan accused me in a statement of complicity in murder of late Bashir`s younger brother Maqsood Qureshi. I kept asking him to prove his accusation and clear his name but it wasn`t done. Maqsood was like my younger brother and it was disgusting to hear that I was accused of his murder by Sanan. This matter has not been cleared to date,` Dr Kalani deplored.

After Bashir Qureshi`s death, his brother Maqsood`s charred body was found in Naushahro Feroze district in March 2014. Like his elder brother, Maqsood was also a polite man and popular among his comrades.

The other faction of JSQM was led by late Abdul Wahid Arisar, which is currently headed by Aslam Khairpuri. All nationalist groups and factions, which follow G.M. Syed`s ideology, are striving foranindependentSindh.

According to Dr Kalani, beside shim, Sarfaraz Memon, another close friend of late Bashir, was appointed as deputy chief organiser of his faction. Electionsin 15 districts had been held so far and now the remaining process of the party`s structure would be finalised before end ofthisyear,he said.

Kalani-led JSQM has witnessed return of another senior nationalist activist, Punhal Sario, who had announced joining his faction at a sit-in held in Qazi Ahmed.

Sario used to be part of Dr Qadir Magsi-led Jeay Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party. But when Magsi decided to strike off `Jeay` from the party`s nomenclature Sario decided to part company with him along with Comrade Hussain Bux Thebo and late Dr Rahim Bux Solangi, once secretary general of Magsi`s party.

`When Dr Magsi decided to work within constitutional framework of 1973 Constitution we didn`t agree as we believe Sindh`s goal can`t be achieved within Pakistani constitution. So, I decided to join this JSQM,` Punhal told Dawn Wednesday.

Dr Kalani has been appointed chief organiser to organise the party and create formal structure of the nationalist group by December this year.