Politicking: Kamal accuses Altaf of planning Mirpurkhas attack

Claims people turning up in large numbers to join his party

HYDERABAD:

Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) leader Mustafa Kamal has accused Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain of orchestrating attacks on his supporters in Mirpurkhas a day earlier.

The leaders of former Karachi mayor’s fledgling party received a hostile reception in Mirpurkhas on Thursday and their motorcade was attacked in over half a dozen locations in the district. At least 10 people, including two reporters, were injured after locals pelted the convoy with stones and eggs. The vehicles, including the one carrying Kamal and his colleague Anis Qaimkhani, were damaged.

Addressing a news conference in Hyderabad on Friday, Kamal continued his tirade against the MQM chief as he concluded his visit to Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad.

“He [Altaf] is not more than a clown,” he said as he urged media not to give the MQM chief much importance. “He is a coward who hurls abuses one day and asks for forgiveness the next day.”

Kamal reiterated his claim that his party had been successful in attracting the masses “which is why we are being attacked”.

“The people are turning up in large numbers to join us,” he claimed. “But we have decided not to open a party office in any other district till our April 24 public meeting [in Bagh-e-Jinnah Karachi].”

He added that over a 100 MQM sector and unit in-charges as well as workers have joined the PSP in Hyderabad.

Earlier speaking to the media in Mirpurkhas, Kamal asserted the Urdu-speaking people have made their decision and it would be reflected through phenomenal attendance in the April 24 public meeting.

He urged the Sindhi- and Urdu-speaking people to avoid falling prey to the MQM chief’s propaganda of fomenting ethnic strife.

Around a dozen suspects, reportedly workers of MQM, were arrested from Mirpurkhas on Friday as the police began a crackdown against the PSP rally attackers. Two FIRs were also lodged at Ghareebabad and Town police stations, nominating six suspects and 30 more unknown people.

MQM’s MPA Zafar Kamali told the media that his party’s workers held peaceful demonstration and did not resort to any unlawful act of vandalism.

He alleged the police misbehaved with the MQM’s local leaders during a raid at the zonal office, during which some workers were arrested. The Satellite Town residence of zonal in-charge Mujeebul Haq was also raided.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 2^nd, 2016.