KARACHI - At least one hundred and ninety offices of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement have been sealed in Karachi within three days while seven illegally-constructed MQM offices have also been demolished in the city.
Earlier on Friday, the MQM offices were sealed in Jheel Park and Shah Faisal Colony areas. MQM‘s offices in Bhains Colony, Gulshan Maymar, Mosamyat, Sachal, Sukhan, Malik aur Ahsanabad were demolished, as they were set up illegally. In Azizabad, name of “Mukka Chowk” has also been changed to "Liaquat Ali Khan Chowk".
The photos and posters of the MQM chief at Nine Zero and several other places were removed whereas Khursheed Begum Memorial Hall and transport office were also set up illegally.
The list of 35 offices that have yet to demolished belong only from District East while similar lists are also being compiled in other districts of Karachi, explained Karachi Development Authority’s official Jamil Baloch. He said that the KDA and Karachi Metropolitan Cooperation (KMC) are taking actions and demolishing the offices under the security of police and Rangers.
Meanwhile, the administrative judge of Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) extended the physical remand of 39 Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) men including three leaders in cases pertaining to treason, attacking a private news channel and killing a man in riots on August 22.
The party's deputy convener Shahid Pasha, MNA Kanwar Naveed Jameel, and Qamar Mansoor along with 36 workers including Abdur Rehman, Sabih-ud-din, Raza Hasan, Adnan, Muhammad Nasir, Muhammad Faisal, Nadeem, Zulfiqar, Niaz, Muhammad Amir, Syed Arshad Ali, Abdur Rehman, Muhammad Saleem, Irfan and Muhammad Asif were presented before the court after the expiry of their remand.
The investigating officer (IO) requested the judge to allow the investigators to keep the suspects in their custody for interrogation.
He added that the suspects were needed to be interrogated to trace the whereabouts of their accomplices that include MQM chief, senior leader Farooq Sattar, Amir Khan and 1,500 others. The IO submitted that statements of five witnesses have been recorded but the CCTV footage of a private news channel's office and the call data records of the suspects were yet to be examined; therefore, the physical remand to be extended till 8th September.
On the other hand, the defense counsel opposed to grant of the remand, contending that the investigation had almost been completed and the remaining interrogation could be carried out without the accused custody. The defense counsel added that Qamar Mansoor, Kanwar Naveed and other accused were going through serious ailments and needed medical treatment.
Meanwhile, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Convener Nadeem Nusrat has said that his party has nothing to do with the threats being issued to Amir Liaquat Hussain.
According to a statement on Friday, Nusrat expressed concerns over the threats being issued to Hussain and said that neither the MQM founder nor the party have any link with the threats being issued to Amir Liaquat. He condemned the threats being given to Amir Liaquat and demanded the federal and provincial governments to provide security to the former party leader.
Amir Liaquat Hussain has claimed that he is receiving death threats through SMS and phone calls after leaving the MQM and announced that if he is killed, the MQM London and the party chief will be responsible.
After hearing the arguments from both sides, the judge extended the physical remand of the accused till August 30 against the request of IO who sought the remand till September 8. The court also directed the investigators to provide all possible medical facilities and treatment to ailing MQM leaders and injured suspects. While summoning the progress and police diary in the next hearing, the judge directed the IO to produce the suspects on August 31.
Meanwhile, MQM MNA Asif Hussnain, who was taken into custody near Karachi airport was released.