KARACHI - Security agencies have allegedly intensified the crackdown on workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-London (MQM-L) ahead of party’s January 21 rally in the city.

According to details, MQM-London and Pakistan Qaumi Movement (PQM) had announced some days ago that they would stage a rally on January 21 and MQM founder Altaf Hussain would address the rally. Following the announcement, security agencies allegedly launched a crackdown on MQM-L workers and arrested several key workers of the party. London-based leadership of the MQM distanced the party from the rally due to disappearance of a large number of party workers, while the PQM refused to postpone the rally until its Chairman Iqbal Kazmi went missing. The rally has finally been postponed by PQM, but the alleged crackdown on MQM-L workers has not been halted yet.

In the wee hours on Wednesday, security personnel in plainclothes intercepted Farhan Hashmi, sector in-charge for the Federal B Area, when he was going somewhere by his motorbike and took him away to an undisclosed place for investigation. It’s worth mentioning here that Hashmi had been arrested a couple of months ago by the Rangers. He was released when he was not found guilty.

A similar raid was conducted by security agencies in Liaquatabd where they picked up two workers Arshad and Sharukh and took them to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

It’s worth mentioning here that most of the workers arrested in earlier raids have been released. Sources privy to the matter said that the arrested workers were allegedly told to distance themselves from MQM-London. Those found active for MQM-London were picked up again. Sources said some workers were released after they assured the agencies that they would join the rival MQM-Pakistan. A large number of workers avoided to join the rival MQM faction. As a result, security agencies allegedly picked them up again for not fulfilled their commitments.

Sources said that rival political factions were giving security agencies names of key workers in every locality. MQM London and leadership of MQM Pakistan continue to level similar allegations against the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP). They say that loyalties of MQM workers were being changed forcibly. It has been reported that a unit in-charge, who was arrested in a recent crackdown, was seen at a PSP office a day after his arrest from Nagan Chowrangi. Similarly, Hamid ul Hassan was picked up by security personnel on December 17 from Shah Muhammad Graveyard along with two other workers. He is still missing, but two other arrested workers were released after rival faction of the party gave them a clean chit.

It’s worth mentioning here that as many as 30 key workers associated with the MQM London were allegedly picked up from different areas of the city and their whereabouts are not known till date.

MQM London convener Nadeem Nusrat alleged in a statement that the crackdown on the MQM was aimed at making the rival faction’s January 29 gathering successful. It’s worth mentioning here that no law enforcement agency has claimed the arrest of MQM workers. The MQM has claimed that more than 150 of its activists went missing during the Karachi operation.