KARACHI - Rangers DG Maj Gen Bilal Akbar on Monday said that the August 22 attack on media houses was planned and executed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement as six of Muttahida men have confessed to their crime.
“The members of the MQM’s unit and sector offices carried out the attack on the directives of party’s Rabita Committee and Central Executive Committee,” the DG Rangers said while talking to media during his visit to Jinnah Hospital here.
The miscreants launched attacks on several media offices soon after party supremo Altaf Hussain delivered hate speech and anti-state remarks last Monday.
Subsequently, MQM’s senior leader Farooq Sattar announced to disassociate the affairs of the party from Altaf, saying all political affairs will be run from Karachi. “The six arrested miscreants have revealed that they brought batons and knives and organised the attackers on the directives given,” Maj Gen Bilal said.
“These six persons are being handed over to police for further investigation and a subsequent trial, while we will continue to carryout raids to nab the remaining miscreants.”
According to the Sindh Rangers chief, two officials working in banks near the Karachi Press Club, belonging to the MQM labour division, provided refuge to the miscreants prior to attack.
“One of them, Javaid Shaukat has been arrested while the other, Khurram Khan – is still at large and raids are being conducted to arrest him,” the DG Rangers added.
Since August 25, more than two dozen MQM offices built on government’s land have been demolished while about 200 remain sealed as the law enforcement agencies continue crackdown against the party.
On Sunday, prominent party leader Asif Husnain announced to part ways with the MQM and joined Mustafa Kamal’s Pak Sarzameen Party, which already comprises several prominent political figures.
Police officials on the condition of anonymity revealed that police department has written to the authorities concerned to constitute a JIT in to probe August 22 incident. The police officials said that Inter-Services Intelligence, Military Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau along with the other security agencies would also be the part of the JIT.
Adeel Chandio, the investigation officer of the case, said that they have arrested 41 men and three women so far. He said that all the suspects would be produced before an anti-terrorism court today (Tuesday) where the court will decided to send them in jail or extended the remand.
The arrested MQM men included three senior leaders Kanwar Naveed Jamil, Shahid Pasha and Qamar Mansoor. It is worth mentioning here that various senior MQM leaders picked up by the Rangers were released within eight hours.
On August 22, Muttahida Qaumi Movement, founder Altaf Hussain addressed its workers present at the hunger camp against the extrajudicial killing and missing workers. Hussain chanted anti-Pakistan slogans. Resultantly, scores of workers including women barged into ARY office.