Dr Imran Farooq’s murder: If Altaf accepts verdict, so will MQM, says Haider Abbas
Says MQM chief has said he would accept the court decision.
Haider Abbas Rizvi. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said if party chief Altaf Hussain accepted the verdict of the British court in Dr Imran Farooq’s murder case, even if it went against him, then the party would also follow suit.
Speaking on the Express News programme ‘To The Point’ on Tuesday, Rizvi said he was unaware of the arrest of two suspects associated with MQM in Pakistan. He added that Hussain has said as a matter of principle, he would accept the court decision be it in his favour or against him.
Replying to a question about a story published in The Express Tribune that two men belonging to MQM had visited Britain around the time of Dr Farooq’s murder in 2010 and were arrested on their return home via Sri Lanka, Rizvi said he paid no importance to such stories as he was daily presented with a lot of such stories appearing in newspapers.
The party leader added that MQM was concerned that those who murdered Dr Farooq could also think of doing the same with the party chief in London. When asked what would happen if Hussain was arrested, he said he never commented on speculative questions.
When asked who the party’s second-in-command was, Rizvi stated that decisions are taken by the MQM Coordination Committee and the party workers accept these decisions. He said MQM has a very strong system in place for making important decisions.
Speaking on the menace of extortion, Rizvi said some MQM workers may have been involved in the practice and other similar misdemeanors, but that his party was not the only one that had such members. He added that there were around 150 MQM workers in jails.
Rizvi said five of the party workers were arrested from their homes in front of their families and it was their right that authorities announce their arrests. “Rangers can arrest our workers according to the law but their arrests should be made known.”
Rizvi said that changing the governor of Sindh was a decision that the federation, and not MQM, had to make. He said that as soon as the situation improves, the results of the referendum about MQM joining the Sindh government will be announced. Commenting on his party’s alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party in the Sindh government during the last five years, Rizvi stated it was a fruitless effort.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2013.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Haider Abbas Rizvi said if party chief Altaf Hussain accepted the verdict of the British court in Dr Imran Farooq’s murder case, even if it went against him, then the party would also follow suit.
Speaking on the Express News programme ‘To The Point’ on Tuesday, Rizvi said he was unaware of the arrest of two suspects associated with MQM in Pakistan. He added that Hussain has said as a matter of principle, he would accept the court decision be it in his favour or against him.
Replying to a question about a story published in The Express Tribune that two men belonging to MQM had visited Britain around the time of Dr Farooq’s murder in 2010 and were arrested on their return home via Sri Lanka, Rizvi said he paid no importance to such stories as he was daily presented with a lot of such stories appearing in newspapers.
The party leader added that MQM was concerned that those who murdered Dr Farooq could also think of doing the same with the party chief in London. When asked what would happen if Hussain was arrested, he said he never commented on speculative questions.
When asked who the party’s second-in-command was, Rizvi stated that decisions are taken by the MQM Coordination Committee and the party workers accept these decisions. He said MQM has a very strong system in place for making important decisions.
Speaking on the menace of extortion, Rizvi said some MQM workers may have been involved in the practice and other similar misdemeanors, but that his party was not the only one that had such members. He added that there were around 150 MQM workers in jails.
Rizvi said five of the party workers were arrested from their homes in front of their families and it was their right that authorities announce their arrests. “Rangers can arrest our workers according to the law but their arrests should be made known.”
Rizvi said that changing the governor of Sindh was a decision that the federation, and not MQM, had to make. He said that as soon as the situation improves, the results of the referendum about MQM joining the Sindh government will be announced. Commenting on his party’s alliance with the Pakistan Peoples Party in the Sindh government during the last five years, Rizvi stated it was a fruitless effort.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2013.