Encroached land: Five more MQM offices reduced to rubble

Number of offices razed since Aug 22 around 70

KARACHI: Five more offices of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were demolished as the authorities continued their crackdown against the party's illegal offices on Saturday.

The five MQM offices, including three unit offices and a sector office and election office, were demolished in the stronghold areas of the party: Azizabad, Sharifabad and Liaquatabad.

The party's sector, unit and election offices were demolished in Azizabad while two unit offices were demolished in Liaquatabad and Sharifabad. An extra contingent of Rangers and police was also present when the officials of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) were busy demolishing the offices.

About 69 offices of the party, said to be erected on encroached land, have so far been demolished including 12 in District East, seven in District Malir, 26 in District Korangi, two in District City, three in District South, four in District West and 15 in District Central.

Meanwhile, a total of 232 offices have also been sealed since the crackdown started against the MQM's illegal offices in Karachi.

This includes 48 offices in District East, 11 in District Malir, 38 in District Korangi, 12 in District City, 12 in District South, 42 in District West and 69 in District Central.

MQM's illegal offices are being demolished across the city following the directives of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah after the MQM founding chief Altaf Hussain's provocative speech on August 22 at the party's hunger strike camp outside the Karachi Press Club. The incident resulted in low-scale clashes with police and an attack at a news channel's office.

Apart from the sector and unit offices, MQM's headquarter, Nine-Zero, Khursheed Memorial Hall, MPA hostel and media cell remain sealed as part of the drive against the party following the August 22 incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th, 2016.