MQM day of mourning: 8 killed, over 35 vehicles torched in Karachi

MQM had announced a day of mourning after sector member was killed in the PIB Colony area of Karachi. FIR registered.

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement observed a day of mourning in Sindh on Tuesday after an MQM sector member in PIB Colony was killed.

After day long deliberations, Police at the PIB Colony police station registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Ahmed Ali Magsi for committing a double murder, and an attempt to murder, Express News reported late on Tuesday.

Police, while confirming the report, said that the charges were for the murder of Mansoor Mukhtar and his brother, while the attempt to murder charge was for the attack on Mukhtar’s injured sister-in-law, Uzma.

Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry had indicated that the names of Ahmed Ali Magsi and Habib Jan had been placed in the Exit Control List.

Violence hit the city immediately after the incident, as eight people were reported to have been killed and dozens were injured as a result of firing. More than 35 vehicles, including a police mobile, were also torched by unknown men in parts of the city.

A clash between two groups in Qasba Colony was also reported, while a hotel in Gulberg Block 18 was also burnt down.

It had also been reported that policemen at station level did not have orders of taking action against miscreants and had been told to patrol the streets.

All educational institutions were shut down and exams had been postponed.

According to a statement issued by the MQM, armed men broke into Mansoor Mukhtar's house in PIB Colony on Tuesday morning and opened fire. Mansoor was killed and his brother and sister-in-law were injured.

Maqsood Mukhtar, who was injured in the Tuesday morning attack on his brother, MQM worker Mansoor Mukhtar, also died later today. Additionally, the MQM said two of its supporters were also targeted in PIB Colony and were injured.

Funeral prayers were held later in the day and were attended by MQM leader including Dr Sagheer Ahmed and Hammad Siddiqui. The funeral was attended by over 5,000 people.

Traffic on the roads in DHA, Clifton and around the Sindh Secretariat remained light and most petrol pumps were shut, though there was some public transport operating.

Areas affected by the violence were PIB Colony, Gulshan, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Malir, Jaffer Tayar, Rafa-e -Aam Society, Kala Board, Shah Faisal Colony, Korangi, Landhi, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Nagan Chowrangi, New Karachi, North Karachi and  Saddar.

MQM walkout from National Assembly

The MQM also staged a walkout from the National Assembly to protest the killing.

"We will not sit in the Parliament today until the government brings the culprits to justice," MQM Parliamentary leader Haider Abbass Rizvi said.

Rizvi, before leaving the House, said that the government should debate security issues in the country rather than the state’s foreign policy.

Sindh Cabinet, PAC meetings postponed 

Meetings of the Sindh Cabinet and the provincial assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) were postponed on Tuesday in the wake of the worsening law and order situation in Karachi.

Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah was going to chair the cabinet meeting at Chief Minister House, and discuss development schemes, pre-budget schemes, law and order situation and other items on the agenda.

The PAC meeting was supposed to be about audits of the revenue department, and will now take place today.

Condemnations

MQM chief Altaf Hussain condemned the killing of the MQM worker.

The party's Coordination Committee has condemned the reported incidents of violence in the city and asked the party workers to keep a check on those trying to disrupt a 'peaceful day of mourning'.

The MQM blamed those "involved in the Lyari gang war" for the attack and appealed to the president, prime minister and Sindh government to take action.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) deputy secretary-general Imran Ismail blamed the government for the city’s security conditions and condoled the death of the MQM worker killed on Tuesday morning.

The attack is the second in two days. Gunmen shot at a poetry recital organised by the MQM in Clifton on Sunday night. The party hasblamed Awami National Party workers for Sunday's attack.