The strike will go on: CM secures release of six MQM workers

Three others picked up from Gulistan-e-Jauhar sector remain in police custody

KARACHI: A few minutes after Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah called Sindh IG AD Khawaja, six workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) arrested from Gulistan-e-Jauhar sector on Tuesday night were released. However, the party clarified that the hunger strike will continue.

Syed Arsalan Ali, Mohammad Adeel, Syed Taleha Ali, Waqas Ahmed, Ghulam Murtaza and Zeeshan Bashir were those who were released. Meanwhile, part sources said that three others, Anwarul Hasan, Faisal Wahab and Azhar Qureshi, are still in Malir police custody.

After their arrest, the police had produced these activists on Wednesday before the anti-terrorism court’s administrative judge for remand in cases pertaining to May 12, 2007, riots. The investigation officer was of the view that these suspects were taken into custody on a tip-off provided by arrested suspects involved in May 12 riots. This irked MQM leaders, who protested against the ‘unilateral action’ being taken by the police and law enforcement agencies against their workers. One of the arrested workers, Zeeshan Bashir, is an elected councillor from Faisal Cantonment Board.

Besides observing the hunger strike against arrest of their workers, the leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly, Khawaja Izharul Hasan, phoned Chief Minister Shah and briefed him about the ‘innocent workers’ who were in police custody. Taking notice of the issue, the chief minister called IG Khawaja and asked him to release innocent MQM workers if any. “We don’t believe in political victimisation,” the spokesperson for CM House said while quoting Shah. “Please release those workers who are not involved in any criminal case.” Later, the chief minister also called opposition leader Hasan and assured him that innocent workers will be released without any delay.

Hunger strike continues

The MQM had announced on Wednesday that some of its senior members will be on a ‘hunger strike till death’ against the social, economic and political victimisation of the Muhajir community and the violation of human rights in the shape of illegal raids and arrests.

The MQM continued its hunger strike, which had started outside Karachi Press Club on Wednesday night. More members of the party joined the hunger strike on Thursday, raising the total number to 16. Those who joined included MNA Shaikh Salauddin, MPA Saifuddin Khalid, MPA Faisal Rafiq, Syed Owaisul Hassan Burni, Shehzad Ahmed, Amir Masood, Javed Akhtar, Mohammad Rasheed, Mohammad Amjad and Sardar Gur Mukh Singh.

Addressing the media at the protest camp outside the Karachi Press Club, senior leader Kanwar Naveed Jameel said that institutions running on public taxes had started to assume that they were above the law. He was of the view that the crime of those who were being arrested illegally in Karachi was just that they belonged to the MQM. He stated that the MQM workers were observing hunger strike as it was their democratic right. He said that for the last 27 years, the people of Karachi had been granting the mandate to the MQM.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Sindh Assembly opposition leader Hasan said that dozens of innocent workers are still in the custody of law enforcement agencies and are being forced to change their loyalty. “Once again, state-run operation has been started against [the] MQM,” he said, vowing that they will continue their strike until their all workers are released and the government stops action against innocent party leaders and workers.

Version on workers’ release

An MQM leader confirmed that six workers who were picked up from the Gulistan-e-Jauhar town offices had been released. He said that these six workers’ remand had ended today, but three others were still under custody and their future remains uncertain. He added that these workers had been subjected to torture under custody. He informed that the party will continue its hunger strike and many more people will join it in the coming days.

Diabetic participant faints

An elderly participant, Syed Owaisul Hassan Burni, fainted while observing the hunger strike. Burni, a senior citizen and a member of the Central Literature Committee of the MQM, is said to be a diabetic patient and had started his hunger strike this morning. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2016.