KARACHI - Accepting the formal request of family of deceased nationalist leader Bashir Khan Qureshi, the Sindh government on Friday announced to conduct the medical tests of viscera of JSQM’s chief from the UK.
Sindh Home Minister Manzoor Wassan while addressing a press conference at his residence, said that he had received the application, forwarded by the Sanan Qureshi, elder son of Qureshi, requesting the Sindh government to send the viscera of his father to UK to ascertain the cause of death.
Qureshi’s wife Saeeda Qureshi and his son Manan Bashir have given an application to the Sindh government to get the viscera tested from United Kingdom. The JSQM and family rejected the medical report of government-formed 15-member medical board terming it as “vague” report about the cause of death their leader.
On the request of family of deceased leader, the home minister said that he had instructed his department get approval of the application from the Chief Minister Sindh urgently so that body organs of the nationalist leader could be sent abroad as the government had already made commitment for it. He said that he was treating the application on the top priority basis.
Wassan said the viscera would be sent abroad to ascertain the quantity of “phosphorous” in body of Bashir Qureshi, died two weeks ago on April 7 in Sakrand, Benazirabad district as the medical board found its existence in the body.
He said that he had talked to the acting chairman of the JSQM Niaz Kalani and urged him to withdraw strike call given by the party for today on Saturday. He hoped that the JSQM leadership would give positive response to his request as the government was fully cooperating to ascertain the cause of death of the leader. The minister said strikes create more problems and trigger anxiety among the people.
He said that he was treating the death of Bashir Qureshi seriously not only in capacity of home minister but the late nationalist leader was also his friend. The family and the party leaders were “angry” as the medical board failed to reach at any conclusion about an exact cause of the death, Wassan opined.
When asked about continued targeted killings in Karachi with murder of over one dozen people on Friday, the Sindh Home Minister said they wanted to end the killings through talks with the coalition parties and other stakeholders. He apprehended that certain elements were instigating these killings to trigger sectarian and ethnic riots. Though, he has given his and his department’s powers to Police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary to maintain law and order in the metropolis, Home Minister said and regretted that law enforcement agencies have not controlled on the killings.
The law enforcement agencies have been directed to take indiscriminate action against criminals irrespective of their political affiliations, Wassan said, adding that the Karachi is a mini-Pakistan and it was responsibility of all to demonstrate unity and harmony for sake of its peace. To a question, the home minister said ban on pillion riding was lifted because it has no impact on the law and order situation.
Meanwhile, the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz has rejected the appeal of Sindh CM and Home Minister to call off their shutter-down strike, announced by the party for today on Saturday.
The JSQM in its emergency called central committee meeting held in Shahdadkot, expressed dissatisfaction over the process of conducting chemical examination of the viscera taken from the body of late Qureshi. It appealed that people of Sindh to observe shutter-down of all business activities and get the public and private transport off the roads.