MQM stages sit-ins across Karachi against arrests of party workers
On the evening of September 24, Rangers had raided an MQM office on Abul Hassan Ispahani road and detained dozens of workers. As many as 500 MQM workers were attending a general workers’ convention at the MQM office in Scheme 33, which also doubles as an MPA’s office. Workers were said to be discussing reorganisation of the party when a large contingent of Rangers raided the office and started rounding up activists.
However, Rangers' spokesperson said the office was raided only after security officers were fired at from the building. He added that eight of the arrested party members were released today.
Following the incident, the party decided to stage sit-ins at more than 10 locations including Numaish Chowrangi, Nagan Chowrangi, Liaquatabad, Landhi Number 6, Korangi Crossing and Malir.
In protest against the arrests, MQM lawmakers also boycotted the Sindh Assembly session today. The party is reportedly considering parting ways with the Sindh government.
Additionally, the sit-ins are expected to continue until the arrested workers have been released.
Private schools were shut down keeping in mind the situation of the city, while University of Karachi examinations were also postponed.
Further, roads leading to the airport in the city have been blocked as a result of the protests.
Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Kadir Thebo said there is no need for a sit-in when the government is holding talks with MQM leaders, while addressing the media in Karachi.
“The dharna is affecting flights and the lives of residents,” Thebo added.
Altaf hits out at Rangers
While addressing a sit-in staged outside the Chief Minister House via telephone, Hussain said that protests against oppression and injustice can take place in Karachi just like those in Lahore and Islamabad.
In a press release released by the party on Thursday, the MQM chief has demanded that the Rangers personnel who carried out the "illegal raid" should be dismissed and a case be registered against them.
He also demanded the immediate release of party workers.
"Illegal raids against MQM, and arrests and extra-judicial killings of MQM workers should be stopped," the press release stated.
According to the statement, Hussain also claimed that Rangers personnel tortured women as well during the raid yesterday.
MQM chief condemned the raid, brutal torture of party workers, arrests of dozens of workers as well as the derogatory treatment of women during the raid.
He further said that he called the Chief Minister House several times to get in contact with Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to register a report against the incident but was not able to reach him.
Addressing the heads of the armed forces, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), MI, and the Corps Commander Karachi, party chief said that using army in politics or against opposition parties is harming army's reputation.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan contacted Governor of Sindh Ishratul Ebad today and yesterday's incident was discussed.
Nisar assured Ebad that a fair and transparent investigation will be carried out.
Interior minister meets DG Rangers Sindh in Islamabad
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar met with DG Rangers Sindh Major General Bilal Akbar in Islamabad on Thursday to discuss the prevailing security situation in Karachi.
The two also discussed the protest being staged by MQM workers and members outside the Chief Minister House in Karachi.
COMMENTS (48)
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@Aysha M: "It didnt take him 17 years & general pasha to muster 35 seats."
It was Aslam Beg and Moeen Haider, let's keep the records straight!
@ Sam Those 7 million votes gave them 35 National Assembly seats, those 5 million votes gave them 24 Punjab Assembly seats and those 1 million votes gave them 36 KPK assembly seats, yet it doesn't mean anything, isn't it? For a 'regional ethnic party' national politics really means nothing.
@ Sam "Only KP voted for him". Wasn't it you who said this? Anyways you are right, votes don't matter, only seats matter. Would to care to mention how many NA seats your MQM won outside Karachi and Hyderabad? And regarding the 1 seat in Karachi won by PTI, the number of votes received were about 77,000, which is more than the votes your MQM could muster from Punjab, Balochistan and KPK put together. Now that's a real FEATHER IN CAP!!
@Ebad: "Number" of votes don't matter, so your 7 million/5 million/1 million counts don't mean anything - What matters is number of seats in parliament. And the number of seats of PTI don't even cross 35 in NA. And that is a fact, isn't it?
So, next time, you think before you make a "factual" statement.
As for Karachi, PTI won 1 seat. Hardly a gain - its from a constituency which has never been an MQM stronghold anyways. As for the number of votes of PTI in Karachi, it shows that people vote freely in this city - another feather in MQM's cap :)
@ Ayesha R.I.P Logic.
@ Sam Talk about facts. Out of 7.7 million votes, PTI got nearly 5 million votes from Punjab, and about 1 million votes from KPK. And talking of Sindh, PTI's vote bank in Karachi proved a really big surprise for everyone. Here is the reference, next time do come with some source before making such sweeping statements. http://ecp.gov.pk/Misc2013/voteBank.pdf
@Ebad: height of logic & reasoning
@Ebad: "Every single zone of the country" - relax dude. Sindh and Baluchistan were hardly significant wins for your IK. Even Punjab behaved badly for him. Only KP voted for him.
@ Ayesha All the depth, maturity, magnetism and magnanimity of your beloved leader is confined to two and a half cities. And you are comparing him with a national leader. Don't know whether it is height of insanity or height of loyalty.
@ethical journalism: Amazing, just amazing. If security forces go after your opponent, you start to respect them.
Sit-ins should be for a big cause, for like a new province in Sindh. Why MQM does not come clear on province issue———-! Arrest of political workers is not a big issue. this has always been a routine matter in politics of Pakistan. If MQM is sincere than it should raise a strong voice for a separate province which is hundred percent a legitimate demand.
only a fool will believe that some one fire on the ranger...from MPA office.raid was conducted because MQM demanded separate administrative unit for Karachi.Rangers will loose the golden hen...from where Rangers are earning billion of rupees,by arresting innocent people,running water hydrants,parking lots,wedding halls....
Selfish politicans and their goonish followers stifling life for ordinary people.
@raj:
Why doesn't MQM leave the wadera corruption party government instead of making life further miserable for common people who are not responsible for the arrest of MQM people ??
MQM has been a proud partner of Wadera Corruption Party government which has destroyed and plundered Karachi during last six years and continues to do so
@liaqat ali: Believe whatever you want to believe - MQM will live forever. It is a party rooted in the common man. And Karachi DOES generate 70%.
MQM haters have wanted MQM to die since 1992. Its 22 years now. Everything has been tried - divisions, arrests, torture, killings, conspiracies, scandals . Nothing has and will happen to it. The number of seats it won in its relatively free days (1988-1992) are the same today (2014) - go check yourself. And dont say it was under the gun - thats plain stupid because a million votes are not casted under a gun. We Karachiites HAVE supported MQM and still do.
Therefore, use your head and support its right demands and condemn injustices against it. But, for the sake of rationality, STOP WISHING ITS DEATH - you are wasting your time.
@Usman: Integrity of Rangers? Are you blind or just plain prejudiced? These Rangers were the main instrument of mass torture and extra-judicial killings in Karachi (DOCUMENTED - read the main reasons for the dismissal of the 1996 government). In recent years, they have known to target, selectively target, innocents - again, READ, documented reports over the last few years.
@Peerzada its people like you who have hurt this country the most. This is their basic human and democratic right to hold a peaceful protest against any decision by anyone.
This is democracy! - sorry how would you know - we have been enslaved by a 'pseudo democracy' all our lives and we have no idea how things should actually work!
What IK and TUQ have done - you will realize in 20 years when you will be given your basic human right and treated like human for a change by the corrupt, power hungry family democracy.
gonawazgoTake Rangers out of Karachi and it will be peaceful again.they are sucking the economy of Karachi and it's in their vested interest that no peace returns to this city. BTW I didn't get it how come someone fires on them ands then sits there to hold a meeting instead of dissAppearing Really credible these Rangers statements are.
@ Ayesha All the depth, maturity, magnetism, magnanimity of your beloved leader is restricted to two and a half cities (three and a half if you add London). And you are comparing him with a national leader who has support and following and has won votes and seats from every single zone of the country. Don't know whether this is height of insanity of height of loyalty.
@Peerzada: The culture of sit-in on roads was first introduced by Majlis Wahdat e Amal. MQM introduced Containers to block roads, first on famous 12th May. This is just to add in your knowledge.
@SM ZAKI: MQM doesnt leave their karkuns like other parties , karkuns are backbone of any party and MQM cares , it does on the ground grass root real politik , and not drwing room conspiracies
@Lion King: MQM is not proud partners of wadera , they have working relation ship ,with the party elected by interior sind, for the harmony of the province , they are representatives of urban sind and they have to speak for their rights .When ever MQM got an opportunity to serve they have ably served all the ppl irrespective of voters or not.
@Usman: how do u know these are just arrest,
We, the citizens of Karachi, pay for the rangers to live and do business for decades. What have they done for security? Zero, zilch!!! They let crimes happen under their nose and go after MQM whenever PPP has to twist arms.
Karachi can't stay in Sindh under the correct, biased Sindhis!
The contributers of the forum don't want talk about innocenpt people being arrested without any proof but rather comment of Altaf Hussain, this goes to show the heartless mentality of siding with the wrong. Rangers have shot dead innocent people without any evidence, you only have to look back to the Karachi incident where rangers shot a man who pleasded for his life in front of them, but the barbaric rangers were above the law. One rule for one and another for another is what insane people support. Summun, Bukmun, Umyun.
Sit-ins should be for a big cause, for like a new province in Sindh. Why MQM does not come clear on province issue----------! Arrest of political workers is not a big issue. this has always been a routine matter in politics of Pakistan. If MQM is sincere than it should raise a strong voice for a separate province which is hundred percent a legitimate demand.
@Fahim: Seems like you have seen their arrest warrent, what about the innocent guy in Karachi who pleaded for his life in front of Rangers to let him go but was shot dead. Shame on you!
Thank you for not burning any buses this time, Bhai.
@Aysha M: Actaully not only IK but no leader of Pakistan can come close to the grip AH has on his community but thru instilling bias and fear.Appealing to darker side of humans is quite easy. Few leaders did achieve the same thing before him. For example Hitler. you tell them good things about them and bad about others and it will do the trick. You tell them you genrate 70 percent of the revenue and Ayesha believes it without looking at the absurdity of the claim.
There is clear discrimination between treatment of assembly of urdu speaking political activities in a MPA office and non urdu speaking political activities in Islamabad,they can attack parliament ,ransacked PTV.and camped in front of S.C.but no action.Only 3 people killed in Islamabad FIR registered against P.M.,interior minister,but hundreds urdu speaking activities arrested tortured and killed ,but the family cannot registered FIR against the accused LEAs....Karachi is being treated as captured city by powerful Punjabi LEAs...this sit in should continue till we get a province..
Does anyone ever wonder why no investment comes to Karachi?? And none will. It is because of violence and strikes initiated by MQM.
@Zahid Altaf want to be popular like Imran Khan, Does this man needs popularity?????
@Peerzada: MQM has been staging sit ins now and then for many years now while also being proud partners of Wadera Corruption Party in power. It punishes ordinary people for the sins of its wadera partners instead of blocking their houses and ways
@Zahid: Altaf Hussain was exponentially more popular than Imran Khan could ever imagine, that too at half his age. Altaf Hussain at the age of 32 had over 50 legislators in PA, NA & Senate, within 5 years of the party inception. It didnt take him 17 years & general pasha to muster 35 seats. And Altaf Hussain had no aspirations of personal nature, not before not now, Imran Khan cannot come close to the depth, maturity, magnetism, magnanimity of the leadership of Altaf Hussain
Now we will tell you what is dharna
London Plan - Season 2 - Episode 1
Altaf want to be popular like Imran Khan, but he can't stand with IK level.
Rangers should be sent back. They have been in Karachi for a decade .They are biased.
Rangers personnel warned Faisal Sabzwari that it would be better he leave the place. Do our elected deserve this treatment?
Was this man involved in London Plan ??? It seems to be another episode of the Plan!
@Peerzada: Well said... a dictatorial mindset would always reject the option of a protest or any voice against oppression..... might not be your fault, but a power hungry dictator would always inject such ignorance into soft and vulnerable brains of common citizens..... Stay safe in your living room dude with all the windows made up of bullet and bomb proof material, you will be safe and protected till the judgement day and also if you spend all your life locked up in just one room, you wouldn't commit any sin and you would be rewarded with heavens..... lolz.....
Imran Khan may address these sit ins.
These were just arrests. Although there should be no summary justice, and each suspect should be tried under court of law, non of those arrested should be released due to political pressure. Knowing the integrity of Rangers, these suspects would only have been picked up on valid evidence.
Evil culture of sits ins initiated by Qadri and Imran Khan providing perfect excuse for every loser to press their demands through blackmailing.