JI asks army take notice of MQM’s threats

Says newly-united MQM backed by PPP conspiring to sabotage LG polls

KARACHI:

Reacting to the threats and claims made by the newly-united Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has said that certain elements are pumping courage into the newly-reunited MQM for challenging the state institutions. He has requested the top brass of the army to take notice of these threats and deal with the elements damaging the apolitical image of the army with iron hands.

Addressing a hurriedly-called press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq on Thursday he questioned the MQM leaders saying, "Who are you to claim that you will not let the elections happen. Time has gone when the MQM used to capture the entire city at gunpoint."

He recalled that high-level army officials had termed the action against the MQM as action against terrorism. He also recalled that action against the MQM was taken under the National Action Plan.

He said that the MQM opted for escaping the local government polls and facing Karachiites in elections. The JI leader held the PPP responsible for facilitating the MQM.

He made it clear that any notification or ordinance against the law to further delay the local government polls will be resisted with full force.

Earlier in the day, Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the government and state institutions to take notice of the threats against a constitutional and legal process by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).

JI Karachi Ameer said that all groups of the MQM have collectively conspired to deprive Karachiites of their due constitutional and democratic right. He further said that the PPP-led Sindh government was hands in gloves with the MQM for this conspiracy.

Engr Naeemur Rehman reiterated his demand to ensure free and fair local bodies elections on January 15 as per the schedule. He also demanded in principle to deploy the army and Rangers personnel in static position at polling stations to avoid any untoward incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2023.