Karachi Rangers yet again warned Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) on forced shutdown of businesses, schools, and transport in Sindh.
In a statement issued on Friday stated “We cannot allow anyone to bring the life in the metropolis to a paralyzing halt,”
This statement comes minutes after the MQM announced it would observe a countrywide mourning and a provincewide shutterdown strike on Saturday over party workers alleged extrajudicial killing at the hands of Rangers personnel.
“”We appeal to the trade, transporter, and schools associations to answers the MQM’s call affirmatively,” the MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar told media in an emergent press conference at party headquarters ‘Nine Zero.’
A spokesman for the paramilitary force, led by Director General Rangers (Sindh) Maj Gen Bilal Akbar, said that there would be no strike on Saturday.
In a similar statement a couple of months back, the DG Rangers made no bones when he said that clamping a shutterdown/wheeljam strike on the citizens was tantamount to trying to manipulate the day-to-day routine of Pakistan’s commercial center.
“You are requested to take Saturday as any other working day. Do not be afraid to continue with your business or other activities. Call 1101 (Rangers Helpline) if anyone tries to force you to close your shop/office down for the day against your will,” Rangers said giving an emboldening message to the people at large.
Earlier, talking to journalists, Sattar claimed that four workers were killed in the last 24 hours or so.
Three political activists from the MQM, who were in the custody of Rangers, were murdered without meeting any requirement of the law of the land, he said claiming a fourth MQM was killed by “Haqiqi terrorists.”
“We have all the details of the workers killed. When were they arrested? What was the time of their arrest,” Satter told media.
He further said that MQM had shared a list of missing workers with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, JUI-F head Maulana Fazlur Rehman, State Minister Anusha Rehman and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar.
“We also gave the list to Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah before resigning from Sindh Assembly,” he said.
MQM has taken up the matter before courts and all other forums, he added.
The MQM, often accused by its critics of using extortion and murder to cement its power in Karachi, has complained its workers have been unfairly targeted by security forces in a bid to curb its power.
The Metropolitan Police are currently investigating the MQM over money-laundering after a huge quantity of cash was reportedly found at party offices and Hussain’s home in London.
As well as the money-laundering case, British police are also probing the murder of MQM politician Imran Farooq in London in 2010.
Hussain controls the party from London, where he has lived in self-imposed exile since leaving Pakistan in the early 1990s, and now has British citizenship.
A BBC report last month said MQM members had told British police the party had received money and military training from Pakistan’s arch-rival India.
The party vehemently denied the allegations.
(PhotoNews/Agencies)
