Manchester attack: Iron rods swung at Mirza, escapes unhurt
Former minister claims attackers ‘same people’ he is working against.
MANCHESTER:
Returning from a ceremony in Manchester, Sindh’s former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza came under attack when five unidentified men went for him with iron rods, Express 24/7reported on Saturday. The former minister, however, managed to escape unhurt.
Mirza was accompanied by Lord Nazir Ahmed when the two were returning from a ceremony organised by the Pakistani community in honour of the former minister.
The attack left two local journalists injured, following which the assailants fled the crime scene.
The attackers were “the same people” whom Mirza said he is campaigning against. The former minister added that such attacks would not deter him from completing his mission.
The police have registered a case against the assailants; meanwhile the CCTV footage obtained by them revealed that the attackers were of Asian origin.
Lord Nazir said that it is Scotland Yard’s responsibility to arrest those responsible for the attack.
Angry reaction back home
“The attack on Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and Lord Nazir resembles the attack on [slain MQM leader] Dr Imran Farooq and we demanded that a case be registered against Altaf Hussain in this regard,” Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi Senior Vice President Shamshad Ghauri said while condemning the attack on Mirza and Lord Nazir.
Meanwhile, a shutter-down strike was observed in Badin in protest against the assault on Mirza.
The former Sindh home minister’s supporters took to the streets, burning tyres and forcing businesses to close down.
A rally led by Abdullah Mallah and Lala Mallah set on fire photos of Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain and chanted slogans against the party.
The demonstrators demanded that those responsible for Saturday’s attack in Manchester be brought to justice.
(WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY OUR CORRESPONDENT IN KARACHI AND INPUT FROM PPI)
Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2011.
Returning from a ceremony in Manchester, Sindh’s former home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza came under attack when five unidentified men went for him with iron rods, Express 24/7reported on Saturday. The former minister, however, managed to escape unhurt.
Mirza was accompanied by Lord Nazir Ahmed when the two were returning from a ceremony organised by the Pakistani community in honour of the former minister.
The attack left two local journalists injured, following which the assailants fled the crime scene.
The attackers were “the same people” whom Mirza said he is campaigning against. The former minister added that such attacks would not deter him from completing his mission.
The police have registered a case against the assailants; meanwhile the CCTV footage obtained by them revealed that the attackers were of Asian origin.
Lord Nazir said that it is Scotland Yard’s responsibility to arrest those responsible for the attack.
Angry reaction back home
“The attack on Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and Lord Nazir resembles the attack on [slain MQM leader] Dr Imran Farooq and we demanded that a case be registered against Altaf Hussain in this regard,” Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi Senior Vice President Shamshad Ghauri said while condemning the attack on Mirza and Lord Nazir.
Meanwhile, a shutter-down strike was observed in Badin in protest against the assault on Mirza.
The former Sindh home minister’s supporters took to the streets, burning tyres and forcing businesses to close down.
A rally led by Abdullah Mallah and Lala Mallah set on fire photos of Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain and chanted slogans against the party.
The demonstrators demanded that those responsible for Saturday’s attack in Manchester be brought to justice.
(WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY OUR CORRESPONDENT IN KARACHI AND INPUT FROM PPI)
Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2011.