Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has rejected claims by Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan that security for its leaders was withdrawn, while sources say protection has already been restored to several party figures.
Speaking to Geo News, Lanjar said security had not been withdrawn from MQM-P leaders. He added that individuals entitled to protection under the law and security assessments continued to receive it.
According to sources, security cover has been restored to Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Mustafa Kamal, Farooq Sattar and Anis Kaimkhani. Sources also said a senior leader from the Pakistan Peoples Party contacted Ali Khurshidi, indicating his security may also be restored.
MQM-P is part of the federal ruling coalition but sits in opposition in the Sindh Assembly. Sindh government spokesperson Sumeta Afzal Syed dismissed MQM-P’s claims, calling them false and politically motivated.
She said no MQM-P minister or leader had their security withdrawn and added that all individuals entitled to protection continued to receive it under established protocols.
Sharjeel Memon Responds to Criticism
Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also rejected the allegations. He said the government was not targeting anyone and stressed that security arrangements remained intact.
Referring to the Gul Plaza fire, Memon described it as a national tragedy and said building safety issues were widespread across Pakistan. He claimed that many buildings in Karachi lacked proper safety measures.
ایم کیو ایم کی جانب سے سیکیورٹی واپس لینے کے معاملے پر بے بنیاد پروپیگنڈہ پھیلایا جا رہا ہے، حقیقت یہ ہے کہ ایم کیو ایم سے کسی قسم کی سیکیورٹی واپس نہیں لی گئی، سینئر وزیر سندھ شرجیل انعام میمن@sharjeelinam pic.twitter.com/z9V1krFThj
— Aqib Ali Soomro 🇱🇾 (@aqibali72400726) January 27, 2026Memon alleged that rumours about security withdrawal were being used for political propaganda and said senior MQM-P leaders already had substantial security deployments.
Earlier, Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed suggested that a shortage of police personnel in Karachi could explain reports of reduced security.
Read: Sindh Withdraws Security From MQM-P Leaders, Federal Ministers
She said even ruling party lawmakers in Sindh did not receive police security and noted that operational constraints could lead to temporary adjustments.
MQM-P Maintains Its Stance
MQM-P leader Syed Aminul Haque insisted that security was withdrawn due to criticism of the Gul Plaza tragedy. Speaking in Islamabad, he claimed that protection for several party leaders had been removed and accused the Sindh government of acting out of panic.
He said MQM-P would continue to raise its voice in parliament and consider public protests. He also alleged that attempts could be made to implicate party leaders in cases.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal earlier said his security had been withdrawn and termed the Gul Plaza incident a failure of oversight.
He said MQM-P would not be intimidated and claimed the federal government had been formally approached on the matter. Kamal argued that the tragedy reflected governance failures and reiterated calls for stronger federal intervention in Karachi under constitutional provisions.
The dispute has intensified political tensions between MQM-P and the Sindh government, with both sides trading accusations following the Gul Plaza incident.
Officials say discussions are ongoing, while MQM-P has indicated it will announce its next course of action after internal consultations.
