Arresting target killers: Malik warned me to stop or army will topple govt, says Mirza
The grave allegations continue to trickle in as Zulfiqar Mirza’s travelling political spectacle gains popular momentum.
At a massive public gathering in Lyari on Friday, the former home minister claimed he had apprehended target killers from ‘sector offices’ with heavy arms and ammunition but had to release them on Rehman Malik’s orders.
In a fiery speech at the end of a several-hour-long rally across the city, Mirza alleged that Malik had warned him that the army and the Inter-Services Intelligence would topple the government if target killers were arrested.
“I released the killers because I wanted to see Pakistan flourish,” Mirza said to an enthralled audience.
Calling the federal interior minister a “Jewish and an American agent working to destroy Pakistan,” Mirza said Malik’s “drama would continue until the disintegration of Pakistan.”
Malik used to misinform Benazir Bhutto earlier and he is doing the same with the president and prime minister now, Mirza alleged.
In a brazen call to arms, Mirza said he was ‘proud’ to have issued 300,000 weapon licences during his tenure.
“I gave the arms licences to the people of Karachi, not for aerial firing at wedding ceremonies but for times like these when no one is safe,” he said.
Expletives galore
Mirza’s public gathering in Lyari, termed the largest since Benazir’s rally in the area in 1987, was also addressed by chief of Sindh Nationalist Party (SNP) Ameer Bhumbhro and key leaders of the defunct People’s Amn Committee Uzair and Zafar Baloch.
Bhumbhro’s platitudes were followed by an initially-hesitant Zafar Baloch who went on to deliver an expletive-laden tirade against dictators, Rehman Malik and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Uzair Baloch followed, expressing his dissatisfaction at the provincial PPP leadership for conducting an operation in Lyari.
He also blamed former MNA Nabeel Gabol, elected from Lyari, for the negative image of the area.
Procession to Lyari
Earlier in the day, Mirza was taken to Lyari from Bin Qasim town in a massive procession organised by his followers – who were armed to the teeth and displayed automatic weapons openly.
Supporters bearing flags of SNP, Awami National Party, Punjabi Pukhtoon Ittehad (PPI) and the PPP accompanied the procession.
The procession reached the venue, Chakiwara Chowk in Lyari, around 8pm.
Invoking ethnic sentiments
Earlier, playing to the gallery in his home constituency, Mirza said the “time has gone when Sindhis were killed … the soldiers of Benazir Bhutto will not let this happen [any more].”
“For every innocent life taken in Karachi, five looters and terrorists would be killed,” Mirza said while addressing a press conference at his residence in Badin.
“I have given courage to millions of people to speak up and stand against the tyranny,” he said, and appealed to ‘the people of Sindh’ to use [arms] to save Pakistan’.
(Read: The Z Files - ‘Mirza is Sindh’s lion...we are ready to die for you’)
Anti-MQM diatribe
Continuing his tirade against the MQM, Mirza said reconciliation is ‘not possible with a political party that is trying to break Pakistan.’
He admitted to sponsoring a website where ‘all evidence against the MQM will be uploaded.’
“I am yet to unveil 90 percent of the information I have,” he said.
(Read: Mirza declares war on MQM)
“Ishratul Ebad is the most corrupt governor the province ever had,” Mirza alleged, adding that chairman Malir Development Authority had admitted during an investigation that Ebad was his partner in the project and was allotted 27,000 plots in the scheme.
He added that he had turned down MQM’s request for inducting 6,000 ‘criminals’ in the police force.
Friendly fire
Turning the guns against his former colleagues, Mirza criticised Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah for promptly accepting his resignation, saying the speed negated the general impression that Shah was a lazy person.
Mirza also said he would expose the name of the “airhostess” for whom Rehman Malik visits Karachi frequently.
Earlier, Malik had directed Inspector General Sindh Police to depute a senior officer to protect Mirza’s rally. Bringing out a rally is a right of every citizen or political leader and it was the duty of law enforcers to protect them, Malik had said.
[With additional reporting by Zeeshan Bhatty in Hyderabad.]
Published in The Express Tribune, September 3rd, 2011.
COMMENTS (49)
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My Dears, the arms license(s) are given and can be given to anyone in pakistan for their own safety, e.g, from taliban militants attack or others since the talibans have limitless weapons~ they have been somehow smuggled to karachi in large quantity~ we can do nothing about that~so to counter,save and protect their own self in case of mischief the license are provided.
Mirza may be telling a slanted truth as we do quite often in our Islamic society.But where is our good old Pir Mazhar-ul-Haque? in whose ceremonious presence MQM chief expressed US and his common resolve to undo Pakistan?
Mirza claims that he has issued three lac arms licenses in his three year stint in office, apparently for self defence purpose to Sindhi as well as decent non-Sindhi voters and hence, results of this largesse are for all of us to see.
He reverberates his fear of read-Indianization of original Sindhis-- a fear first expressed by his guru Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto-- while ignoring the fact that his PPP then won its sole majority in the Punjab Province.What a disgrace in our society that we cannot argue matters on their intrinsic merit and free from parochial jingoism.
As per Mirza, the 'sensitive' Pak establsihment is sponsoring and protecting the killers. "At a massive public gathering in Lyari on Friday, the former home minister claimed he had apprehended target killers from ‘sector offices’ with heavy arms and ammunition but had to release them on Rehman Malik’s orders.
In a fiery speech at the end of a several-hour-long rally across the city, Mirza alleged that Malik had warned him that the army and the Inter-Services Intelligence would topple the government if target killers were arrested."
He has started campaign from now for the next election.
These people can only get votes on the basis of racial and lingual basis.
Beat corrupt politicians who are dividing society on the basis of regional and lingual basis.
Pakistani people love each other, from whichever province he belongs. These are politicians who promote hatred.
Be united to beat this dirty politics.
@Tariq: and dolled out 300,000 weapons . WMD's!! For what?
Expose them Mirza we are with you..
I wonder what he wants, he is rallying against MQM or Rehman Malik or Target Killers or Sindh CM....? by telling truth he is exposing his own weak points and losing his ground, why people are following him when people dont know what he wants and what common man will get by following him..... anybody help me
All crticizing mirza here is a question. So what if he gave arm licences to sindhis, only mqm people have rights to arms here or what. He might be talking some non sense but you have to do that to appeal to masses. He is fighting for right of native sindhis and we are with him. We are done with this reconcilliation.
All I have to say is that bananas are now being sold at the same price as apples.
tip of iceberg of actual PPP's politicians
Mr. Prime Minister, where are you ??
He's officially doing it for the attention. I wonder what he'd do if he was arrested for his crimes in office. Resigning doesn't get you off the hook, or at least it shouldn't. Telling the truth to a group of people is only a confession. Not a prerequisite for amnesty.
So, where is the Holy Book now...
Mirza again attacked the media. Had Mirza given 300,000 books to the people, it might have worked a little.
Clearly Mirza has lost his marbles or it is part of an elaborate plan that will make sense some time in the future.
All of you blind Mirza-Supporters.....ARE YOU HAPPY NOW??????
He is "CLEARLY" trying to ignite the ethnic sentiments and clearly provoking the people to life arms......to clash with each other..........
He is supporting the cause of only one community which he knows and everybody else knows that doesn't even comprise the population of even 50% collectively.......and rest of others would automatically be defensive in this case and would support the entity whom he is blaming....(MQM) .....and what would be the end-result.......more clashes ...more hatred....more extremism.....more killings....and almost like a civil war....
I am not a blind supporter of MQM either....but I know the fact that whatever everybody else (belonging to Zulfi-Clan) thinks...MQM is a ground reality ...it is next to impossible to curb things which have deep roots...
Now where are the supporters of Mirza who were portraying him as a hero. I was right from day one, Mirza is the real culprit to destroy Karachi.
Two words for ZM seek help...!
A good article in Daildy Jang all may not agree
http://www.jang.com.pk/jang/sep2011-daily/03-09-2011/col5.htm
Mr Mirza has shown a examplary courage, every politician shall have and the revelations were all true as all pakistani
s new this but cudnt dare to speak up,, now he has became example to stand against tyranny and speak the truth and he left all the pleasures,power, status, security, and has made his way to tough and insecure path, this is what shall be everyone`s motive in life. go mirza go we are with youPolitical gimmicks of the washed up PPP worker
Where did that air hostess come from? If she exists then that is Malik's personal life. Why is he interested in telling her name to Media and public?
bizarre attempt to play sindh card and ignite ethnic violence. Just promoting racism, doing nothing good for this country. These politicians have given nothing to their voters, but just filled them with hatred and animosity.
Naked truth some times do more harm than half lie. I wonder on whose will or order Mirza pouring venom of hatred among Pakistani youth.....
This is a classic example of B-R-A-Z-E-N R-A-C-I-S-M. These abusive denunciations will endure significantly and not augur well for the country. In these difficult hours of the nation's checquered history, Mr. Mirza should keep his head in top gear, well above his heart and tongue. Salams to all Pakistanis
Invoking ethnic sentiments............ that sums it all up
“Jewish and an American agent working to destroy Pakistan”
You lost me there Mr. Mirza, at least be creative -_-
This guy is a mental case should be sent to crazy house before he disintegrate Pakistan further he said he has give 300,000 arm licenses to who The AMN Commetie and getting non urdu speaking people, 10,000 police job. Mr Mirza forgot that he had Quran with him all the time, he should remember who dig ditches for some body else he fall in the same. Na khuda Jin ka nano unka Khuda Hoya hai, evil like him defeated for ever and ever and again and again. God bless Pakistan, and keep Pakistan away from such a drunken man and corrupt and rouge landlord mentality.
WikiLeaks is done with now go to Mirzaleaks hahahaha
This is what we call Dirty Politics... Politics for Personal Gains.... We Urge People of Pakistan to unite against all Corrupt People of this Country....
Dr.Wikileaks, bring it on !
I find his style repulsive but the substance should not be dismissed only because it comes from him. His allegations are serious enough that they need to be investigated. They may be false and that can only be known after due investigation.
Again the issue here is not that he made the allegations while putting his hand on the Quran. All people who give false witness in the Pakistani courts for a few thousand rupees do exactly this. What lends gravity is the fact that he is a former provincial interior minister and claims to have records to back his allegations.
While people in MQM are innocent until proven guilty, to dismiss what this man says as being his personal opinion is not correct.
You know what, people just cant wait to know the name name of that air hostess, Mirza you are a low life, there are far more serious issues to crack our heads. Who cares about some ones private affairs.
Mirza is trying his best to start civil war. Thanks MQM to keep ignoring this crazy guy.
Sindh's feudal lords trying to take over Karachi now!
Federal Interior Minister's "crimes" may be many, but all could be forgiven for his one gift to the nation: he has made Dr. Zulfiqar Mirza unveil his misdeeds. The more Dr. Mirza speaks the deeper he is digging his rightful place. But we are all holding our breaths for the most explosive revelation of all: "the name of the “airhostess” for whom Rehman Malik visits Karachi frequently." Now, that one accomplishment will make him worthy of the Nishan e Imtiaz, or whatever it was that he was awarded, by President Zardar couple of weeks ago. Did'nt Dr. Malik recently said that 70 to 80 percent responsibility of Karachi's mayhem lied on the shoulders of "wives and girlfriends?" Oh, how stupid we all are for not truly understanding what he really meant. Thank you Dr. Mirza for your explosive (no pun intended) revelations.
Look at the gall of Mr. ZM - 300,000 weapon licenses issued by his administration has supposedly made people in Karachi feel more secure? The death toll coupled with the hopelessness would imply otherwise.
The real cat is still in the bag.The time has come for the cat to show its claws, ot it is scared to reveal clipped claws.