KARACHI/LONDON - Our Staff Reporter/Agencies - Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has submitted a requisition to call Sindh Assembly session to discuss raids on its offices in Karachi and arrest of party members.
The request for assembly session was made a day after the arrest of former MQM lawmaker Nadim Hashmi on murder and terror charges over the killing of two policemen. An anti-terrorist court Thursday sent the ex-MPA on a week-long physical remand.
The request for session bore signatures of 44 MQM lawmakers. Speaking on the occasion, Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly and MQM member Faisal Sabzwari said that instead of identifying criminal elements, activists of his party were being apprehended.
Sabzwari claimed that MQM activists were being dragged in false cases, but the real culprits behind the deteriorating law and order situation of the city were not being brought to book. He said the party had requisitioned the session to debate the treatment being meted out to MQM workers.
Facing a tough time, MQM chief Altaf Hussain Thursday appealed to disgruntled former party workers to return to the party, alleging that “ethnic cleansing of Mohajirs has once again been jump started in the name of cleanup operation”.
In a statement issued from London, Altaf termed the ongoing targeted operation in Karachi a replica of 1992 operation. He said former workers, who are living in retreat and anonymity, should rejoin the movement for the “protection of honour of their mothers and sisters”.
"State oppression and genocide of Muhajirs has been started once again,” Altaf said, alleging that Pakistan People's Party (PPP) government for another time was doing the ethnic cleansing of Muhajirs. Operation against MQM has been started in the name of operation against criminals, the MQM leader blamed. He said that the party would face the situation with courage.
Altaf asked the party workers to ‘physically’ get ready to face ‘state oppression’. Privacy and honour were being violated during these raids; hence, the old workers should approach Nine Zero to undauntedly brace themselves up for all trials like in the past, he held. He also directed the office-bearers of the party to raise their voice at every forum under the constitution and law over this situation.
Meanwhile, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Karachi on Thursday ordered a seven-day physical remand of former MQM lawmaker Nadeem Hashmi, who is now in charge of the MQM's North Nazimabad unit. He was handed over to the police following the order of the ATC. The former lawmaker was arrested for his alleged involvement in Tuesday's killing of two policemen in a North Nazimabad locality.
The arrest of Hashmi in a raid on his home sparked anger in the MQM ranks who called the action an 'unjust move'. The arrest attracted a strong reaction from the opposition party which questioned the role of the Sindh government in the ongoing 'Karachi operation' and approached authorities in Islamabad to resolve the issue.
Hours after the arrest, Karachi witnessed scattered incidents of violence, including firing and arson attacks. At least four vehicles were set on fire as transport stayed off the roads, commercial activities remained suspended and fuel stations were unable to do regular business.