Altaf Hussain tells workers to observe peaceful mourning on Friday

LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain while describing the incident of what he claimed the extra-judicial killing of his party’s workers as barbaric, asked the people and MQM activists to observe a peaceful day of mourning on Friday.

In a statement issued here, the MQM Chief asked the workers and people to withhold their emotions.

Altaf Hussain ratified the MQM Rabitta Committee’s call for observing Friday as the day of mourning in the wake of yesterday’s recovery of four bodies from Memon Goth which they identified as their workers.

He lamented that despite repeated pleas and protests over arrests of workers and the dumping of tortured bodies, the government has failed to take any notice.

Altaf Hussain appealed the President, Prime Minister and Army Chief to order steps towards putting an end to the incidents of ‘extra-judicial killing’ of MQM workers. He also demanded an action, including filing of cases, against the elements involved in such killings.

“Police and law enforcing agencies had better not invite Allah Almighty’s wrath by killing the workers,” he said.

Altaf Hussain also expressed sympathies with the families of the dead workers.

Pakistan supports peaceful, stable Afghanistan: Ishaq Dar

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Finance Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said Monday that Pakistan supports a peaceful and stable Afghanistan for the economic development and well being of people of the two countries.
Speaking to Ambassador Beth Jones, Principal Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, US Department of State who called on him here, the Finance Minister underscored the importance of a trusting and mutually beneficial relationship saying that the relationship has improved considerably in recent months.
He also expressed the hope that the cooperation in economic and energy sectors will be increased further.
Ishaq Dar informed the Ambassador of Pakistan's contribution in different development projects undertaken in Afghanistan and hoped that these will contribute to socio-economic well being of the people of Afghanistan.
The Finance Minister also briefed the Ambassador on key economic reforms the present government has embarked upon and said that major economic indicators have already started reflecting marked improvements.
The Minister said that when the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz came into power the country as confronted with bigger challenges than in the past.
But the leadership, without wasting any time charted out an economic agenda to deal with these issues.
The Minister said that we have paid Rs.500 billion of circular debt and have added 1700 MW of power into the system. He said that the industrial sector has reacted very positively to the reforms and its performance is way ahead of our expectations.
He added that the government has a very clear roadmap to increase the growth rate to a satisfactory level.
Ambassador Beth Jones briefed the Minister on her meetings with other officials and appreciated the economic performance of Pakistan.
She expressed her satisfaction at the close coordination between the two countries during the recently held strategic dialogue in Washington DC.
She hoped that with the prudent policies of the government, the country will come out of the economic problems.
Ambassador Jones also expressed her sympathies for the loss of precious human lives in today's terrorist attack at the District Court Complex Islamabad.