As arrests continue: MQM demands ‘political space’

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - Pakistan leader Farooq Sattar demanded ‘political space’ again on Tuesday, denouncing the arrests of his party workers by the law enforcement agencies. In a press conference at the party’s makeshift headquarters in PIB Colony, Sattar claimed that the MQM-Pakistan workers were being arrested, picked up and forcibly disappeared.

He said that the arrests had intensified in the past few days for no reason. According to the party, its 14 workers, including a former local bodies’ representative, have been arrested in the last week.“Neither have they been presented in any court nor have their families been told about them,” he said. “Apart from these arrests, workers are going missing as well. We can testify that they are not involved in any kind of criminal activity.” He demanded that they should be released immediately or at least be presented in court. Sattar complained that MQM-Pakistan was being prevented from doing politics.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2017.