Usual concerns: MQM leader states the already obvious
Never has been any target killing instruction issued from any of the MQM offices, says Farooq Sattar.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement Deputy Convenor Dr Farooq Sattar. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD NOMAN
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Deputy Convenor Dr Farooq Sattar has said that his party fully supports the ongoing operation in Karachi, but the extra-judicial killings are not acceptable.
Speaking at the Express News programme ‘To the Point’, Sattar said that MQM has no militant wing. It is simply impossible that a criminal becomes a worker of MQM, he asserted, saying that never has been any target killing instruction issued from any of the MQM offices.
Sattar said that Altaf Hussain is head of the party and he approves all the policies and decisions. The party only has political and organisational wings and there is no such concept of any militant wing in the ranks of MQM, he said.
He complained about the unavailability of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, to listen to their grievances. He further said that MQM is subjected to media trial, even then the party wishes for permanent peace in Karachi.
“We support action against anyone who uses a SIM of South African origin here for criminal purposes. Such a person cannot find a place in MQM,” he emphasised while replying to a question.
MQM has been insisting and has even asked the prime minister for devising a mechanism which provides relief and satisfaction to the fractions residing in the megacity, he added.
Sattar claimed that said that so far two of the MQM workers, who were arrested in the name of investigation, died of torture under the custody of law enforcing agencies — another 22 are still missing.
MQM leader said that the leadership and workers of MQM have co-operated with the police and even then if they raid party offices and homes in London we are justified to feel and say that it is against the British traditions.
He insisted that MQM leaders, Anees Qaimkhawani and Mustafa Kamal, are on leave from the party due to their family engagements, however, he said that it is they who can better explain what those engagements.
If there happen to be any organisational issues in the party, they will be solved according to the mechanism already in place in the party to solve such matters, he concluded.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2014.