D for dharna: MQM stages sit-ins across city, demands release of activists

Protesters demand law enforcers present the workers in court if they are guilty.

KARACHI:

Following the arrests of 23 Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) workers by Sindh Rangers on Wednesday night, the party kicked off a series of sit-ins across the city, demanding the immediate release of its activists.

The call to hold dharnas was made by MQM chief Altaf Hussain, who said the Muhajir-community had 'lost its patience'. If demonstrations can be held in Islamabad, then the MQM can also stage sit-ins against discrimination, he said, addressing the army chief.

Answering his call, several sit-ins were held on Thursday at more than 10 places in the city, such as Numaish Chowrangi, Star Gate, Liaquatabad, Gulshan Chowrangi, Teen Talwar, outside Chief Minister House, Jail Chowrangi,  Five Star Chowrangi in North Nazimabad, Nagan Chowrangi and Rizvia.

CM House sit-in

At the main sit-in organised outside Chief Minister House, a large number of women and men occupied the footpaths, demanding the release of their loved ones. In the scorching weather, tired women stretched out their legs on the red mat where they had spent the entire night.

Farheen, whose husband Naeem Shamshad was whisked away by the Rangers, said that she saw them beating him up with their gun. "I told the Rangers that if they want to take him away, they can, but I begged them not to hurt him." She wanted to know why Naeem was taken away. "Those who are taken away by the Rangers usually return home dead," she said with tears in her eyes.

On Wednesday night, she had called up her husband, an MQM unit in-charge, who was attending the convention. "I told him to come home and take me to the doctor," she said. "Suddenly I heard firing in the background and the line was disconnected."

She drove to the sector office, which was near her home, and spotted her husband's shirt. He was being taken away by the officials, she said. The mother of two said she tried to pull Naeem away but ended up getting injured.

Another woman, Quratul Ain, also claimed she was severely beaten up by the Rangers. Her forehead had a red bruise, which she got when a gun hit her. "I was trying to save my brother, Shumail, when they pulled me by my hair and threw me on the ground," she said. "I thought my eye was damaged when one of them hit me on the forehead with a weapon."

Minhal Ali Khan, who was performing security duty at the sector office, ran away when the Rangers raided the office. "As I was running away, they opened fire at me but I still managed to escape." Minhal claimed the law enforcers took everyone's wallets, NICs and mobile phones.

The protesters shouted slogans of 'Go, Rangers. Go' as they demanded the government make them leave the city. "They have been here for 20 years. What good have they done except arrest and kill citizens," said Abdur Rehman, a protester.

Aslam, another worker, said that if the arrested workers are criminals, then they should be presented in court.

MQM Rabita Committee member Amir Khan, who looked visibly tired after spending the night with the demonstrators outside CM House, said their sit-in will continue till all their men are released. "Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Waqar Mehdi and Rashid Rabbani came but they were also complaining of their helplessness over the issue," said Khan. "The chief minister is the captain of the province. He should find a solution to this injustice."

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2014.