PM seeks report on MQM man’s torture

MQM Chief called on the chief minister to take action against the officials involved in torturing MQM workers to death

KARACHI: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed the Sindh police chief to submit a report within 24 hours on the alleged torture of a Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker by the police on Saturday.

He also asked the interior minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, to travel to Karachi to personally assess the situation, Express News reported. The development came after MQM leader Farooq Sattar wrote a letter to the prime minister seeking his intervention in the matter.

The MQM worker, Fahad Aziz, 30, was arrested on Saturday when he was en route to his own wedding, but was released on bail the next day. He claimed that he was subjected to torture during interrogation. Aziz was taken to Darul Sehat Hospital after he was detained by the police for about 10 hours.

Earlier Tuesday, MQM chief Altaf Hussain demanded the government take immediate steps for the recovery of 45 workers of his party who have gone missing after being taken away by law-enforcement agencies.

Speaking to Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah by the phone from London, Altaf pointed to the ‘extrajudicial’ killing and illegal detention of his party’s workers. He called on the chief minister to take action against the officials involved in torturing MQM workers to death.

“Mohajirs are the permanent residents of this province and we want to work for its development. But we are being oppressed by the state under a conspiracy. It is the Taliban who are involved in killing police officials, but instead of going after them, the police are arresting our workers and implicating them in false cases,” he said.

Responding to his grievances, the chief minister said he had taken notice of the arrests and torture of MQM workers, and that an inquiry committee has been formed.

Separately, Altaf Hussain also spoke to former president Asif Ali Zardari and reiterated his complaints regarding the targeted operation, and the arrest of MQM workers.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2014.