MQM supporter stage a sit-in in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan office in Karachi on May 15, 2013. PHOTO: REUTERS
According to the MQM, nine of their workers have either been killed or are missing in the last few days.
MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari said party workers were being killed with impunity.
MQM Unit 180 in-charge, Sarfaraz Ahmed, 29, was shot dead in a targeted attack in Nazimabad No. 6 on Wednesday.
“He [the deceased] was dropping his children to school when the incident took place,” SHO Faryad Bhatti told The Express Tribune.
“They [the assailants] shot him in front of his children.” The deceased was a resident of Paposh Nagar.
In a separate incident, another MQM worker, Yasir Arafat aka Bunty, 26, son of Mohammad Iqbal, was shot dead in Shah Faisal Colony.
According to police officials, the deceased was sitting inside his marriage hall when two men on a motorcycle entered the hall and shot him several times. As a result, the victim sustained multiple bullet wounds and was rushed to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where he succumbed to his injuries.
Another MQM worker, Saleem, 40, son of Ameen, was attacked in New Karachi within the remits of Bilal Colony police station.
Police officials said that the incident took place when the victim, while on the way to drop his children to school, was intercepted by two armed men on a motorcycle. The assailants shot at his vehicle multiple times. One of the bullets hit his neck and he was rushed to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in critical condition.
COMMENTS (58)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1732762837-0/Taylor-(3)1732762837-0-405x300.webp "article")
@Sheikh Salman: @Amaan Zia: What a joke hahahaha
excellent use of logic, this is the best shot at it, to dismiss serious analysis as a joke
@Imrank: U mean like the office in Canada? That got closed down when a Canadian court declared mqm a terrorist organization.
You are mistaken, there offices all over the world and they are connected with their supporters and donaters. Dont understimate!
To all those geniuses who cry why MQM has not done anything to bring peace in Karachi, let me clarify you all that MQM has a strong mandate in Karachi but that does not mean that MQM has a control on police and security forces. These lie under the provincial government. MQM cannot do anything legally. How come they can fight with these terrorists then? What do you guys expect that MQM activists take guns in their hands and fight these terrorists roaming in the city? If they had done so, they would have been crushed and banned with the charge of taking action illegally. All they can do is condemn and present bills in assemblies which never get accepted, example the De-weaponisation bill. When Altaf Hussain was shouting out that terrorists are entering karachi in disguise of refugees you people and media made fun of him, they paid no heed. That's the thing that has come to haunt us. MQM has been protecting its areas in any way they can. MQM activists sit in the corner of my street late nights just to protect my area. And enlightening you mind a little more all the terrorist and taliban captured areas are actually Pashtun dominated areas where ANP had its control.
I am a Karachiite I know what has been going on here for the last 30 years.
We now have channels covering every minute of events, but when slaughters were carried out by governments, government backed groups and parties, there was nobody to bring those grim state of affairs to rest pf Pakistan.
every nishap in Karachi is charged to MQM, this is one single mistake that is stopping us from solving the issues.
Actually, its a situation where sons of soil are licenced to do whatever they want, Karachi is a besieged city.
Calmness, clear standing of the facts and united actions in right directions by Karachiites themselves will protect this city.
@kanwal: Your name suggests you to be a tender hearted person, but your comment is a sweeping generalization.
@Liberal: Bomb blasts during electioneering were meant to stop them from taking part in polls. Now TTP failed in thier porpose, therefore at the moment there is a lull. TTP and thier collaborators may come up with something new, they wont leave Karachi peaceful.
@Amaan Zia: What a joke hahahaha
@pti: How could they arrest them ? They lived in shelters in Punjab governments protection or lived in IIaka e Ghair where drone attacks are being carried out by Americans because Pakistan (including Army) has failed.
They lived in lyari, in Manghopir where even rangers are silent spectators. And dont forget your own friend Dr.Mirza who issued 300,000 weapon licences and proudly announced on TV, then no one (niether your PTI) except MQM agitated against it.
Please keep facts separate from biase so that you may be able to reach a correct decision
@FP:(Fool Person) It was MQM's staunch opposition against TTP and sectarian terrorists that made it difficult for them to openly come out in elections and in the process lost thier workers. But hatred has made you blind and you are saying totally different thing.
Mr @Armaan Zia, PTI worker was a senior aged lady who was brutally killed in a disguised robbery attempt - MQM workers can never be compared to her....Also they have always claimed karachi belong to MQM - so if they can not control law and order in Karachi - to the extent that their own workers are getting killed - it is they themselves to be blamed - no point of this sob story of world wide protest - problem is in karachi not anywhere else in the world - this is where they need to start - and very rightly you mentioned using fire with fire - that is what you guys have always been doing in karachi - killing innocent people - now crying wolf !
History repeating itself... the fascist organization has, many times in past, carried out the Cleansing act
@Amaan Zia: Sorry buddy but the sympathy ship sailed long ago. And please get this into your head, Karachi ≠ MQM, whereas MQM is only partly equal to Karachi, that too by sheer force.
MQM has lost its sympathies from within the community. Many people who were hardcore supporters of MQM don't give a damn to the current plight of MQM and even show pleasure on current crisis.
I smell fear!!!!!
May I know how many times they raised their voice whilst they were part of the government, the governor was MQM....
Mqm people life is as precious as any other Party workers.
The loss of life is sad and is condemnable no matter what. However, given the track record of MQM killing its own members (not to speak of the killing of people from other parties/ethnicities by MQM), I would not be surprised if it turns out to be the workings of MQM itself.
Go back to the pages of Morning News and other pages of the once great Pakistan, the East and the West. You will see the same type of hatred and prejudiced comments against the Bengali speaking people. This hate dismembered Pakistan. No one knows where again such reincarnation of hate is going to take us reaming Pakistan.
@Riaz Ahmed: Then i am really proud that my party activists get burnt while fighting with fire to protect our city from getting burn. I hope you must have listen the proverb: "Fight fire with fire". P.S my point was that when the cities were poured with cries of PTI supporters on the condemnable murder of Zahra Shahid, it was justified but when the same stance is taken by MQM, why people start complaining and criticizing. Isn't protesting a democratic right of every individual? Our nation is already suffering due to intolerance so lets not induce intolerance in politics as well
@Amaan Zia: thanks for putting MQM case in detail pls dont forget qasba aligarh and hyderabad 30 september
@Javed: thanks
@Ik: strange u came to know so late after futile vote to balla
@Amaan Zia: All the operations you mentioned were justified since the "innocent mqm" leaders had held those areas hostage. So please stop using this old card and come to the real grounds.
Dear All,
This is really patyinfull. Imagine if these workers belong to PTI or any other party, the media and other parties has overthrown the state and blaiming none other than MQM. So now if MQM workers are dying, its ok as it might be their intrnal rifts or party policies.
Bravo Karachities.
@Pakistani: Pity, the entire world is against higly righteous and snow white MQM. I hate and condemn loss of life whether it is MQM or any one else, but when one play's with fire, sooner or late one is going to get burnt.
Please stop killing MQM worker and innocent people of Karachi.
@DarkKnight: Learn some facts. MQM is the only party who has presented de-weaponisation bill in Sindh assembly which is still pending. Neither have MQM opposed any military operation. But operation only in MQM dominated areas are what they oppose. And seriously all of you have some shame. I mean a human loss is of no value when it is a member of MQM? Why? I condemn all the human loss irrespective of their party affiliations. The whole electronic and social media goes wild when businesses get closed down on MQM’s call but no one dare to speak for the conspiracies and brutal murders of MQM activists. Then they say MQM is a party of terrorists? The whole PTI supporters were out against rigging. But when MQM decides to protest for innocent lives, then all they do is criticize. Next time if a dog dies in my neighborhood, I will definitely blame MQM.
I will be protesting on behalf of mqm here in new york.
This whole thing is MQM's way of taking Disciplinary action against its members, not performing up to their “Qaid’s” expectations!
Out of curiosity, can someone from MQM tell me Australia or Switzerland mai MQM kai protest kaha kaha hogai?
I wish i could sound less indifferent. But who cares really about MQM people anymore? When public was dying right and left in karachi, they just yawned. so hello, its too late for us to care about you. Besides, may be its your own internal politics?
@FP: Please take off the curtain of Baisness and then think. Do you know how many MQM workers killed in karachi last 5years. You dont know coz you are not a karachiiates. 80% of them are MQM workers and supporters. And my question is that who killed them ? Everyone say we own karachi and when these killing happens no one claim the body of karachiates, Only MQM is there to claim all the bodies because they know those deceased. Be Pakistani OWN karachiates. There is a strong mandates of MQM in karachi no doubt. Why not make them brothers why called them terrorist. Like whole world called muslim a terrorist. This not the way you treat such a big mandate. Even then you still dont want to accept that mandate dont accept it but is this a solution ?
MQM Has no corrupted member (PTI, PMLN PPP,JI every party have those black sheeps) Why MQM dont ? MQM is well Organised party in Asia. Why not any other party is that organised ? All the Parlimentarian drive big expensive cars and fleets of cars. MQM members arrive to Assembleies in Rikshaw and taxi. Why ?
I am educated and civilised person so I also think as Judge All the alligation on MQM are alligations no truth in it nothing proven. Like Muslims all the alligation are not proven. If you are talking about JIT reports they are not an evidence they are clue to evedience. If you argue just read the law. And its Pakistani Police they kill people in their custody like MQM worker yesterday.
If you people dont change your attitudes towards MQM then the time is not far to have Karachiates their own State. So Accept Karachiates MQM as a Pakistani. Estate Terrerism on MQM : 1- pakka qila hyderabad operation 2- Aurangi Town Operation 3-1992 Operation 4-1998 Operation 5- 12 May Karachi (Stupid people MQM 14 workers died and thre is no other claim of body from anyother parties that is so harsh reality). 6-Benazir died 50 lives claim in karachi burt everything. there are thousand of inccidents against MQM.. Change your Attidute towards MQM
@DarkKnight: Learn some facts. MQM is the only party who has presented de-weaponisation bill in Sindh assembly which is still pending. Neither have MQM opposed any military operation. But operation only in MQM dominated areas are what they oppose. And seriously all of you have some shame. I mean a human loss is of no value when it is a member of MQM? Why? I condemn all the human loss irrespective of their party affiliations. The whole electronic and social media goes wild when businesses get closed down on MQM's call but no one dare to speak for the conspiracies and brutal murders of MQM activists. Then they say MQM is a party of terrorists? The whole PTI supporters were out against rigging. But when MQM decides to protest for innocent lives, then all they do is criticize. Next time if a god dies in my neighborhood, I will definitely blame MQM.
Worlwide? They do realize that there is no world for MQM outside Karachi & Hyderabad?
MQM always cries the minute it leaves government!what about killing of workers since 2002-2008?
I am imran khan supporter. Unfortunatley, we learned that pti is a partner with jamat e islami. Imran khan and pti never condemed the taliban. And it make sense now talibans attack on anp,mqm and ppp. I cant never be supporter of jamat e islami who are one of the biggest militant group in karachi and who have been harbouring al qaieda and all kind of terrorist organization.
Attacks on PPP & ANP workers have subsided but continue on MQM since before the election.Killing of one activist in police custody after torture is really deplorable. All the persons responsible for killing must be brought to justice and compensation paid to the families of the victims.
I see a 1971 type situation in the making.....
Probably an effort by mqm to rally support of world powers whose agenda are the division of Pakistan, the only Muslim state with nukes
How come PTI's dharnas were not bombed and why on earth IK canceled his jalsa in Karachi...get over with you MQM hysteria and venom. PTi carried out 9 dharnas in KHI despite TTp threats. So shall we say that, it was allowed with the approval of TTP. Only a taliban apologists will insist on these conspiracy theories. So ironic, those were the incidents that TTP openly accepted the responsibility, but we have blinkers on our eyes and become selective in what we want to see and hear. There are ignorant fools who want TTP to bomb these dharnas, such is their hate against MQM. Innocent people are being killed and should be condemned irrespective of which party they belong. MQM in last five years did everything from protests to strike to raising voice on the floor of the assemblies to even filing suits in the courts. Nothing happened. Good decision by MQM to sit in the opposition to prove everyone wrong once again and even a better decision in deciding to hold protest vigil and demonstrations across the globe to raise voice against the killing of its workers.
own medicine tastes bad . . . or more self inflicted bombay drama?
Is It 'Tatheer' In Process By MQM Itself.
Question we raise.. Did they filed the FIRs for the murders ? NO ? Guess everyone got the answer
How come their dharnas now aren't targeted by the Taliban? Was it only a series of self-victimization stunts to garner popular support after the 5 disastrous years spent in office?
What about the people who got killed by the same party that is protesting? Karma?
Pls use drones to attack progressive and liberal Karachites, and let Taliban take over Karachi
An army operation is needed.
MQM has done the right thing to raise voice on the Karachittes issues as they are no more part of the Government. Being in Government proved to be futile to raise these issues. Most commenters above believe in TIT for TAT and showing short sightedness. If something is wrong and highlighted it should be resolved not JUSTIFIED. These brutal killings should be condemned and action should be taken
MQM is a student of PTI ! PTI has taught them how not to be violent. Good competition makes u do good things !
But the demonstrations should not be violent. No killings in the protest of killings.
Seems to be the result of internal matters after reorganizing the MQM
A loss of human life is always very tragic, but my doesnt MQM ever protest WORLDWIDE for de weaponization, and full military operation agaist all culcripts in karachi, do they hve anything to hide, i think yes and the entire karachi knows it! This is indeed sad, but this is something tht mqm introduced to the city.
Wonder what they were doing in the last 5 years in the government.had they caught these criminals today these guys would have not been killed.
They did not protest on killing of 4000 innocent citizens during last five years because they were in government and they were involved in mass killing together with PPP and ANP.