KARACHI - MQM chief Altaf Hussain strongly condemned the police crackdown on Pakistan Awami Tehrik offices and large scale arrests of its workers, terming the Punjab government’s action as ‘state brutality’.
In a statement, Altaf said, “Instead of arresting and punishing the people responsible for the Model Town tragedy, the government has resorted to arresting the PAT leaders and workers, subjecting them to state brutality. The government’s action is highly condemnable, he added.
“At a time when our armed forces have started operation against terrorists and making great sacrifices, the government is busy crushing its political opponents at this critical stage, which is incomprehensible,” Altaf deplored.
He said it was the constitutional right of a party to hold public gatherings and receive their leaders. He added it would be unconstitutional and undemocratic to deprive a party of its right by using state power.
“It is a dictatorial act and highly condemnable. It should be stopped and the PAT workers should be released. Raids should be stopped and the government should not put hurdles in their preparations,” Hussain said.
Meanwhile, MQM Deputy Convener Nadeem Nusrat in a statement on Sunday said that the government’s step of sealing the Islamabad airport and suspending mobile services is tantamount to violation of fundamental and democratic rights of the people. Using state machinery and power against the PAT leadership were repressive measures and highly condemnable. He demanded the government to release the PAT leaders.
MQM senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar deplored the PML-N government for carrying out what he said the undemocratic tactics against PAT leaders and workers ahead of Dr Tahirul Qardir’s arrival in Islamabad.
At a news conference here Sunday, Sattar said it seems there is no government in the country. Other MQM leaders including Dr Sagheer Ahmed and Babar Ghauri were also present on the occasion.
Condemning the police crackdown against the PAT leaders and workers in Punjab, Sattar said it is unfortunate that the promoters of the democracy are carrying out unconstitutional practice. Holding rallies and demonstrations is the democratic right of all political forces, and the government should avoid taking steps against such constitutional practice. Such action of the government would destabilise the country, he warned.
He asked why the government is so scared that it has turned Punjab into a police state.
“PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri is a Pakistani citizen and he should be allowed to land in the country, and it is the right of the party workers to welcome its chief. MQM hopes the PAT chief would arrive peacefully, while any further use of force against him and his party would give birth to a critical situation and might harm the country’s stability,” Sattar said.
“The government is using state machinery and power to stop the PAT leaders and workers from receiving their leader. The government’s repressive measures are dictatorial and highly condemnable“, he said.
Lahore and the federal capital have been sealed, and all the government actions are tantamount to violation of fundamental and democratic right of the people. He said it was being done to distract people’s attention from the ongoing operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan, Sattar added.
The MQM supports peace and democracy, and it is the need of the hour that the government should handle the situation with political maturity and stop the brutal action against the PAT leadership and workers.
On the occasion, Babar Ghauri said that no such incident like Model Town took place in the country during the dictatorial regimes. Women were shot at point blank range in Model Town which is condemnable, he added.