Extra-judicially killed workers aren't flies: MQM demands Nawaz apologise to people of Karachi

MQM condemns premier's statement which was akin to making a mockery of extra-judicially killed people

KARACHI: Lashing out at Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s comment about frequent strikes in Karachi, Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain on Friday demanded an apology from the premier to the people living in the megalopolis.

"Nawaz Sharif considers the deaths of poor people in the city equal to flies. He should apologise to the people for calling them flies that and insulting them," Hussain said while addressing a press conference at the Khursheed Begum Secretariat on Friday night.

Nawaz, while addressing the inauguration ceremony of Hub Oil Refinery in Karachi, said that strikes have become so frequent in the megalopolis that even if a ‘fly dies, the city shuts down.’

Hussain said the premier should be careful while choosing his words, but quickly added that they were not against Nawaz.

A subsequent statement from the MQM Coordination Committee strongly condemned the prime minister’s statement. They added that Karachiites had no interest in calling strikes, but only protested for their rights.

They said that law enforcement agencies (LEAs), including police and Rangers, kept arresting MQM workers and then killing them extra-judicially. The statement further said it was unfortunate that instead of taking notice of the extra-judicial killings, the prime minister was making fun of the issue.

The committee said that if nobody, including federal, provincial governments and security agencies bother to reconcile MQM’s grievances then it had nothing but to call for a strike.

Sindh governor can't do anything

The party leader also lamented that the Sindh governor could not do anything.

"If I was the governor, I would have resigned."

Rangers report

Regarding the Rangers report, Hussain said that weapons are bought from stolen or illegal money.

"It should also be investigated how these weapons reach the city. Weapons are transported to Karachi by passing through all the security check posts."