Karachi - Family of Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P) worker Muhammad Javed, who was killed allegedly in a fake encounter with police on Friday, sought justice as he was laid to rest on Sunday.
“Javed, son of Abdul Khaliq, was killed in a shootout with the Counter Terrorism Department of Sindh police on August 11 when he along with his two accomplices, who managed to escape, was transporting arms and ammunitions to Korangi,” SSP Munir Ahmed Shaikh said, and added, “Javed was affiliated with pro-Altaf Hussain group of the party, dubbed as MQM-London, and was in-charge of target killers’ team in Landhi.”
The funeral prayers of the deceased were offered at Tayyaba Mosque in Liaquatabad No 5. MQM-P leaders, including Convener Farooq Sattar, Senior Deputy Convener Amir Khan, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar, Faisal Sabzwari and others attended it.
The family, on the other hand, refuted police claims and asserted that he was picked up from his house in Gulistan-e-Jauhar by armed men in plainclothes, a trademark of special units of police and other law enforcement agencies, in wee hours on August 3.
“The armed men, who were wearing commando jackets, entered our house and asked for the identity cards,” Javed’s wife said, and added, “They then asked my husband’s and his father’s names. After that they told him to come with them.”
“My husband was told to dress up properly and when we asked them where they were taking him, they replied that he would be allowed to go after some questioning,” she said sobbing. “We didn’t hear from him for the next 10 days, and on August 11 we were informed that he was killed.”
Javed’s wife questioned which law of the country allowed the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to pick up anybody from his house and then kill him. “I want to know why was he killed?” she asked.
Talking to media men after funeral prayers, MQM-P leader Faisal Sabzwari said that as soon as Javed was picked up by police, his family informed the party leadership that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had been contacted for his safe recovery.
“We conveyed our concerns to the provincial government, but to no avail. He was killed in a fake encounter after 10 days in detention,” Sabzwari alleged.
“We got the news of his killing on the day when a PPP delegation visited our office in Bahadurabad,” Sabzwari said, and lamented, “On one hand we were painting the walls with national flag’s colours to celebrate the Independence Day while on the other some elements left no stone unturned to spoil our show.”
He held Provincial Home Minister Suhail Anwar Sial and Provincial Police Chief Inspector General Allah Dino Khawaja responsible for the killing and pledged that MQM-P will utilise legal means to get justice.
Our Staff Reporter