MPA’s murder a ‘conspiracy’: ANP

KARACHI: The government should bring the “conspiracy” against the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Syed Raza Haider and Manzar Imam to the fore, an Awami National Party Sindh (ANP) spokesperson demanded on Tuesday.

A member of a banned outfit admitted to a plot to kill the two men, federal interior minister Rehman Malik confirmed on Tuesday, after which the ANP spokesperson said that, “It is surprising that the MQM did not take security measures despite being aware of the threat to their MPA”.

Many lives could have been spared had the government provided security to the murdered MPA, he said, adding that after the murder of the ANP’s Noor Zaman on Monday, two more ANP activists, identified as Sher Mohammad and Ali Raheed, were killed in riots.

The government must take notice of these killings as well as the damage to people’s property, said the spokesperson.

It was reported that two watchmen, two workers at a tea-shop, a shopkeeper, 10 passengers, three coach drivers and more than 15 others were killed in Monday riots.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2010.