On bail: Afaq due out today

Hurdles in release of MQM-H leader may lead to protest, says party.

KARACHI:

The Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM-Haqiqi) prefaced the expected release of party chief Afaq Ahmed on Tuesday with a warning that it would not tolerate any attempt to prevent it.

This warning has a context. In September, just as Afaq was being released on bail, the authorities detained him further on the pretext of the Maintenance of Public Order rules as there was a fear of an outbreak of violence.

But now, it is expected he will actually be released after being behind bars since 2004.

His attorney, Syed Iqbal Kazmi, told a well-attended press conference at the Sindh High Court cafeteria that the bail has been posted and is being verified. After all these formalities and paperwork are done, a release order will be handed over to the prison where Afaq is being kept.

Afaq is scheduled to be presented before two benches of the SHC on Tuesday, today. They will hear one of his petitions in which he has asked for round-the-clock protection by the Pakistan Rangers who he also wants to keep an eye on him.

If Afaq decides to go as a free man, he will inform his party workers and the public of any further political activities, said Kazmi, quickly adding however, that till Ashura, there will be no political engagements. Kazmi chose to peg the Sunday violence at Numaish where two scouts were killed to Afaq’s release. He said it was planned so that it appeared that Karachi’s law and order situation was fragile and that releasing Afaq may negatively affect the situation in the city during Muharram.

“These would be flimsy pretexts and will not serve the old purpose of keeping him behind bars,” Kazmi said.

To a question, he said that once Afaq was freed, he as a representative of an NGO, had nothing to do with the political activities of the MQM-H and its leadership. “I am a social worker and a human rights activist,” he said. “I am not a worker or member of any political party and played a role in Afaq’s case on the instruction of John Carl Erickson, the chairman of the HRSCA based in Sweden.”

If Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain or any citizen of Pakistan or their family were subjected to political victimisation, I would stand by them too, he vowed. He added that in the case of any unnatural damage to him or his family, he has nominated the persons who could be behind it.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 29^th, 2011.