Rangers question Farooq Sattar’s guards

KARACHI: Paramilitary troops Tuesday night surrounded streets leading towards the residence of Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) senior leader Farooq Sattar in PIB Colony, Karachi.

Witnesses said a heavy contingent of Rangers closed off at least three streets leading towards Sattar’s residence before closing in on the house.



They knocked on Sattar’s door and asked his wife for some person who was inside the house. The MQM lawmaker was in Islamabad to attend the National Assembly session earlier in the day.

Sattar’s wife reportedly asked the paramilitary troops to produce a warrant if they wanted to search the home. But the Rangers did not enter the house.

They questioned security guards posted outside Sattar’s house and other neighbours for around an hour and left without detaining anyone.

While the Rangers did not issue any statement about the raid, there were reports that the troops were there to pick up MQM MPA Kamran Farooqui.



Following the Rangers’ raid, the MQM leader said that it was up to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to decide whether they are Pakistanis or not.

“I have been living there [PIB Colony] for the last 30 years. A [former] deputy convener cannot even think of keeping a criminal inside their home.”

“This is not Pakistani law which is being enforced on us. If they had come to arrest me, would have to seek permission from the speaker.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2016.