MQM announces mourning day today

KARACHI: Deputy Convener Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that the MQM will a stage a peaceful protest on Friday against ‘repression, barbarism and the continued extrajudicial murders’ of its workers.

He expressed these views while addressing a press conference at Nine Zero on Thursday after the recovery of four bodies believed to be of MQM workers.He urged people to remain calm and composed. He assured the public that the ‘day of mourning’ would be peaceful. He appealed to traders, businessmen, industrialists, transporters and citizens to support their protest.

Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take notice of the brutal killings of MQM workers. He deplored that negotiations were being carried with the people who had challenged the state but the sons of the people who had founded Pakistan were being killed.

He deplored that the MQM’s four innocent workers had been murdered that day. He condemned their ‘extrajudicial’ murders.Dr. Khalid Maqbool alleged that terrorist activities were being carried out in Karachi and innocent people were suffering because of terrorism.

Deputy Convener Nasir Jamal, Dr. Farooq Sattar, Senator Nasreen Jalil, Kanwar Naveed Jameel and other elected representatives and Rabita Committee members were present during the press conference.

“MQM and our people are rulers, law enforcement agencies and human rights organizations that our workers are being kidnapped and killed daily. Despite our repeated appeals their arrests were not shown in the record. We have been receiving dead bodies of our workers. Today, we found the bodies of four workers who were killed and their bodies were dumped on the road. We are worried about our workers who have become victims of enforced disappearance. We have filed petitions for the recovery of our workers. We did not get justice there. No one paid to our applications. People of the city are sad today because of the brutal murders. People have started closing their shops, bazaars and transporters have taken their vehicles off the road, “ Dr. Khalid Maqbool said.

Dr. Khalid Maqbool has appealed to people of Sindh to support MQM’s ‘Day of Mourning’ by keeping their business closed. He has made an appeal to prime minister, federal interior minister, chief minister and governor of Sindh to take notice of extrajudicial killings and help in the recovery of detained workers. He warned if the killings continued ceaselessly things would get out of control.

Altaf Hussain demands action against killers

The founder and leader of MQM, Altaf Hussain has strongly condemned the extrajudicial murders of MQM’s four workers Muhammad Sameed, Ali Haider, Faisal and Salman Qureshi. These were affiliated with MQM’s Mayammar and Gulshan-e- Iqbal sectors.

“We have repeatedly raised voice over the raids, abductions and torture on MQM workers carried out by the death squads of police and other law enforcement agencies. Workers are being abducted and subjected to torture and executed in cold blood and their mutilated bodies were dumped on roads. We have tried the get the attention of our rulers on the serious and grave situation. However, they turned a deaf ear to our pleas and protests and they did not take notice of the killings. Judiciary also did not take any suo moto action on the killings. The situation has embolden these killers and they are carrying out extrajudicial murders with impunity. Last night, we found the tortured bodies of MQM’s four workers in Memon Goth, who were arrested few days ago, “ Mr. Hussain said this in a statement issued from London.

Hussain has expressed condemnation of the brutal murders of four workers and termed it barbarism and brutality. He said that people with kind heart could not remain silent on the murders. He added that this barbarism and cruelty has greatly shocked and aggrieved me. He prayed that God would punish the killers of his workers. He added that he could understand the feelings and emotions of his workers and people. He urged them to remain calm and composed and observe a day of morning in a peaceful manner.

Addressing the police and law enforcement personnel, Hussain said that they should not invite the wrath of Allah by killing citizens of their country.

Hussain has demanded an action against the law enforcement personnel who are killing MQM workers extra judicially and not presenting them in courts after arrest. He demanded that the president, prime minister, federal interior minister and army chief should arrest the personnel responsible and prosecute them.

He prayed to Allah to give the martyred workers high place in Jannah and strength to families to bear the loss.

Tension across city

Following the four slain men being identified as MQM workers, tension gripped the entire city, where armed men forced all business activities to close.

A large number of MQM leaders and activists reached the Edhi Morgue near Sohrab Goth to pick up the bodies of the slain party workers, during which passing vehicles were pelted with stones.

A heavy contingent of police and Rangers personnel reached the troubled area, where teargas shelling and aerial firing were employed to disperse the protesters.

Vehicles set ablaze

A bus and a motorcycle rickshaw were torched by miscreants as an apparent show of mourning over the killings of MQM workers.

A bus bearing registration No JB-0303 was set ablaze near Bismillah Chowk in Landhi No 6. The vehicle was completely destroyed by the time fire engines could reach the scene. Moreover, a Qingqi rickshaw was torched near Dastagir Society in Federal B Area.

70 suspects arrested

Police arrested around 70 suspects, including two in an injured condition, after exchange of fire when the accused were forcing businesses to close in different parts of the city.

Two suspects identified as Tariq Nawab and Rashid Hameed were arrested by the Defence police after they opened fire on the law enforcers. Police said the accused were forcing shopkeepers to close their businesses in Defence Phase II Extension.

Police of different districts and zones arrested dozens of suspects who were forcing shopkeepers to close their businesses.

Police and Rangers personnel have been put on high alert after the MQM made the announcement of observing a day of mourning.

According to Karachi Police Chief Shahid Hayat, the police and Rangers have prepared a coordinated plan to maintain law and order in the city on Friday, Geo News reported.

Hayat said the police and Rangers would conduct raids and patrol the city. He vowed that no one would be allowed to disrupt the peace of the city, harm any lives or damage any property.

Committee formed to probe into MQM activists’ deaths

Meanwhile, Karachi Police Chief Shahid Hayat has constituted an inquiry committee to investigate into the killings of four men whose bodies were found in Memon Goth on Wednesday and who were identified on Thursday as Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) activists who had been missing for the past several days.

The order for the inquiry came from Sindh police chief Iqbal Mehmood after MQM leaders claimed that the four men, who had been shot dead in execution style, belonged to their party. They were identified as Sameed, Ali Haider, Faizan and Salman Qureshi.

DIG East Munir Sheikh will head the inquiry committee. Other members include SSP SIU Farooq Awan, SSP Malir Rao Anwar and SSP Investigation Dr Syed Abbas Rizvi.

The police officials have been tasked to investigate into the incident as well as to ascertain the causes and circumstances leading to the killings.

Shahid Hayat has also requested the Pakistan Rangers’ provincial director general to nominate a senior Rangers official to assist the police in the investigation.