File photo of deputy convener MQM Rabita committee Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui addressing a press conference. PHOTO: MQM/FILE
While addressing a press conference in Karachi on Saturday, Siddiqui said that Urdu-speaking community was suffering injustice at the hands of terrorists and when they tried to raise their voice against it, instead of understanding our motives, we faced criticism and hatred.
“Our workers are being killed. They are being targeted, abducted, tortured,” Siddiqui said.
Referring to the ongoing extrajudicial killings he said, “Who should we go to for justice? We always opted for a constitutional approach for justice, yet not even a single killer of our numerous martyred workers has been arrested.”
The party leader expressed gratitude to all the associations and individuals who supported them during these tumultuous times.
In conclusion, Siddiqui announced that the MQM will organise a ceremony near Quaid-i-Azam’s mausoleum to pay tribute to the Sajid Qureshi, his son and other party workers who were killed.
“We will light candles to pay tribute to our martyrs in a ceremony titled ‘Peace for Karachi, Peace for Pakistan’ at 7pm on Sunday”.
He requested people from all walks of life to be a part of the ceremony and show their support.
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@Aysha M: You're welcome! Not inclined towards any ideology i only said what i observed around me.
@Liberal_Pak: Brother if I were you i wont measure performance based on a mere 27 km road at the center of provincial capital. Its a media hogwash! If i were you I would visit cities in Southern Punjab esp and see the real dismal situation at hand. If you know Governor is a figure head with no power according to the 18th amendment. When the locals were given power in Sindh esp you see their record from 2002-07. This form of alienation and bias should stop. Going by your theory it would be easy to state that tomorrow lets have CM of Punjab as a non-local and its relevant officials not from the said province then ill ask how good or bad situation it is. Im only saying relevant officials lack ownership of a city which gives 70% of revenue to this country. Law and order in Punjab, they should bring their house in order esp in effected areas of southern punjab where they have become hotbed sanctuaries of militancy and is effecting other provinces esp metropolitan city of Karachi.
What happened to that referendum MQM conducted the other day? Are they joining govt.?
@pk: Thank you so much. All I am saying is that we need to be less insensitive and show support for peace of Karachi.
@Sodomite: Karachites deserve and desire peace. All I see this vigil as an effort to restore peace. I think all parties and party enthusiasts should be there for Karachi and nothing else.
Karachi is an unfortunate city on whom namaloom afrad were let loose when Karachites supported Mohatarram Fatima Jinnah when she contested presidential election and they are active to date.
I will support any political party which will give Karachi a directly elected mayor with police and transport under him. Karachites deserve to live with dignity.
i am soo sorry for the people of Karachi....that they only get to go to work for maximum 2 weeks every month due to all this !
@pk: MQM is in power for last 10+ years and they are directly responsible for all failures and miseries of people of Sindh specially Karachi. Till today, they are in power as Governor is in place. MQM cant shy away from the fact that despite their long presence in government, they cant justify their utter failure to deliver to people. LG system, violence by other gangs are merely excuse. Punjab Govt performed well without LG system and violence in Punjab. Dont make false excuse and lets hold accountable the party who has been part of govt for last many years but with poor delivery. If we want progress in Karachi, we need to stop blind following and ask tough question to MQM and PPP for their failure. As they both enjoy mandate of people of Sindh.
History lesson: Peaceful demonstration and MQM. tchhh!
Today I wanted to visit my uncle who is suffering critical condition in Indus Hospital, Karachi. I were never able to come out to my doorstep just because of MQM.... Please MQM Please.... leave the way we are leaving in the Karachi.
@PTIfanKarachi, In case you didn't bother reading any of my comments on this page - I strongly oppose these primitive strikes that bring Karachi to a halt. This is only destroying Pakistan. There is no need to 'mourn' now when these people didn't do anything to fix Karachi in last 10 years when they had power. I'm with you on this one. So ashamed to associate myself with these people, I thought they were our saviors.
@Sodomite: With due respect brother people of this city are being ruthlessly killed plus people of this city are at the garb of theocratic and other mafias, would you call that oxymoron statement! When your voice isnt heard and the people of this city arent treated at the same level you take some measures but what are the people of other parts of country doing to remove sense of deprivation grooming amongst its inhabitants, nothing! It breeds inequality amongst sections of society. Solution to this lawlessness is powerful local government system following pattern of NY and giving power to the people of this city as KHI is a metropolitan city like NY and others! If someone advocates a stance diff, you start labeling them spokesman, good for you! Biased should I say?
Urdu speaking community? who are they Dr. sahab?
@Aysha or Aysha M or whatever you are
Your MQM is ruining the business of poor laborers. When will you learn that people voted for PTI in Karachi because they are sick of these weekly strikes and forced closure of business.
Soon business will move to Lahore because of your organization. You should think about city province and country rather than about your short sighted party.
I hope Tribune publishes my comment because this is what we Karachiites really feel like.
@Aysha M: M, N, or Q whoever. R U MQM spokesman or spokeswoman?? Tell us who are Na Maloom Afraad???
So sad to see Karachi held hostage by these people. These daily strikes are destroying the economy of Karachi. Wish we had a powerful central govt that'd deal with these strike-callers in the strongest way possible. I mean they are 'mourning' now but when they ruled Karachi for 10 years, they didn't do ANYTHING to improve the situation. They are partly responsible for this situation today.
MQM and peaceful methods??? That's an oxymoron statement.
Like them or not, there should be no doubt that the number of workers and leaders that MQM has lost at the hands of target killers matches no other. Most who are killed are lower middle class, and often their murder ruins their entire family. The killers never get caught. In addition, other political groups active in Karachi seldom come out with condemnation.
A vigil will be organized at Quaid's mazar tomorrow
Karachi and Karachites are dispossessed and deprived, but together they are stronger.
Lets transcend party affiliations and join the vigil for our home city Karachi, for peace of Karachi.
Karachites can show to the world that they are the most educated, progressive and liberal citizens of Pakistan and can play an active role to defeat fundamentalism and obscurantism.
Lets set aside our political differences and participate in the vigil for Karachi and we can always resume war of words on ET
Together for Karachi Together for peace Together against Taliban
This looks much better way to record peaceful protest against the injustice.
ET, there is also a vigil at Quaid's mausoleum tomorrow.
Karachi and Karachites are dispossessed and deprived, but together they are stronger.
Lets transcend party affiliations and join the vigil for our home, our city Karachi, for peace of Karachi.
Karachites can show to the world that they are the most educated, progressive and liberal citizens of Pakistan and can play an active role to defeat fundamentalism and obscurantism.
Lets set aside our political differences and participate in the vigil for Karachi and we can always resume war of words on ET
Together for Karachi Together for peace Together against Taliban
"Peaceful", then why were rickshaws and busses burnt